All information about alcohol testers
There are three main kinds of alcohol testers:- semiconductors
- electrochemical (fuel cell)
- infrared
| Semiconductor | Electrochemical (Fuel Cell) | Infrared | |
| Sensor | Semiconductor | Electrochemical (Fuel Cell) | Infrared |
| Price | From 6 to 180 Euro | 700-2000 Euro (apart from Alkohit AH 69-250 Euro) | Above 2000 Euro |
| Use | As the personal alcohol testers. Usually the readings variation is so big that producer usually don’t write the accuracy. | Evidential portable breathalyzer. Accuracy is ±5%. | For stationery use. The most accurate alcohol testers. |
| Resistance to eaten food | NO | YES | YES |
| Influence the condition of battery to the readings | Semiconductor sensors must be heated to 300-400°C before a measurement and they need more power .In the case the battery is discharged the sensor is not able to reach certain temperature and it causes the variation of the readings. | NO | Stationery devices- doesn’t concern. |
| Lifetime of the devices | Up to 3000 tests. At a high concentration of alcohol it is possible to burn the sensor or discalibrate. | About 5 years. | Not estimated. |
| Repeatability of the results | Not stable | Stable | Stable |
The most common alcohol testers –only because of price -used by drivers are semiconductor alcohol..
There are about 40 semiconductor alcohol testers but none of them is distinguished for its accuracy , reliability and life time. That’s why users of such devices must use common sense. More and more producers of such devices gain the new customers by adding some gadgets to alcohol testers like thermometer, clock, attractive design. Many people buy such devices and the come to a following conclusion that even the mint tea can influence on the reading. That’s how it is in semiconductor alcohol testers because many factors influence on the readings like eaten food, acetone and other substances which can be found in the human breath, mint, tobacco smoke, coffee, temperature, humidity and so on. The worst disadvantage of this devices is time stability where after a few months the variation of the reading can be tens or a few hundred percent.
Electrochemical alcohol tester these are portable instruments used – because of high accuracy -by the Police. This high accuracy is reached by the platinum electrochemical sensor.. The sensor reacts only to alcohol. A very precise amount of breath sample is taken to the sensor by the pump in the last moment of blowing. Unlike semiconductor alcohol testers electrochemical sensor doesn’t react to substances like acetone, humiodity and so on.
Infrared the most accurate devices. Due to the price and dimensions they are only used by the Police , in hospitals and courts as stationery evidential devices.
So far the electrochemical sensors(fuel cell) have been used in Police alcohol testers. The Alkohit AH 69 is the first breathalyzer at a such incredible low price that it can be not only used by the companies but by all drivers and individual users who wants accurate and reliable devices. Thanks to cutting edge and innovative solutions we designed the only alcohol tester at a low price with an electrochemical (fuel cell) sensor. More information: See Advantages of Alkohit Ah 69
