AlcoSense Zero - Alcohol Tester Manual

Getting Started

This section will take you step by step through the basics of using your new AlcoSense Breathalyser, namely:

1. Unpacking the box.
2. Preparing it for use for the first time:
   1. Installing the batteries
   2. Cleaning the sensor
3. How to perform a breath test and understanding the results.
4. Things that can affect the readings.
5. Troubleshooting any problems.

Unpacking the Box

In the box you will have the following components:

1. 1 x AlcoSense Breathalyser
2. This instruction manual
3. 6 x blow tubes

Installing the Batteries

1. Turn the AlcoSense breathalyser over so the back is facing you.
   Following the diagram below remove the battery compartment cover.
2. Insert three new, good quality Alkaline 1.5v AAA batteries into the slots in the battery compartment making sure that the batteries are inserted the right way round as indicated in the battery compartment.
3. The unit will automatically start to clean the sensor which takes 120 seconds. This should be performed once every four weeks or after a period of several weeks or more without use.
4. Put the battery compartment cover back on again following the diagram below but in reverse.

When replacing the batteries only use new, good quality branded batteries. Never use batteries previously used elsewhere or a mixture of new and used batteries. Although the battery voltage indicator may show OK, under load the battery power may collapse. This could affect the accuracy of the readings.

Manually Cleaning the Sensor

We recommend performing a clean once every 4–6 weeks, or if the breathalyser has not been used for a period of time.

To clean the sensor remove the batteries then re-insert them. "Clean" will flash on the screen and it will count down from 120 to 0 seconds. This process increases the accuracy of your breathalyser by removing any oxidation or contaminants which could build up on the sensor.

Please note that the first test performed after a clean may give a slightly higher result or show a small amount of alcohol present when there is none due to vapour released during cleaning.

The cleaning process uses a significant amount of power from the batteries. If you clean the sensor several times in a row you can exhaust your batteries. If you have recently performed a clean and wish to skip the process when replacing the batteries this can be done so by double clicking the power button.

Automatic Sensor Clean

The unit will automatically clean the sensor every 25 tests. If you wish to skip the cleaning process double click the power button while it is in process.

Turning On and Off

You can turn your AlcoSense on and off by pressing and holding the power key, signified by the power logo below, on the front of the unit

How to Perform a Breath Test

Performing a breath test is easy and can be performed at any time, anywhere quickly and easily. Responsible drivers find the AlcoSense breathalyser particularly useful to help make sure they are clear of alcohol the morning after.

AlcoSense is a sensitive measurement device. Performing a breath test less than 10 minutes after drinking risks blowing high levels of alcohol directly from your mouth into the system causing permanent damage to the sensor and causing the system to read inaccurately. Blood alcohol levels can rise for up to 90 minutes after drinking, for best results only use after this period and ideally the morning after. Do not blow directly into the blow hole without a blow tube – this can damage the sensor and significantly reduce the lifetime of your unit.

1. Insert a new blow tube in the hole on the left side of the breathalyser, shown in the image below. Re-using blow tubes can decrease the accuracy of your readings and un-hygienic. Do not use drinking straws or similar as the diameter may be different givign a bad fit, or split causing air to escape and reducing the accuracy of your readings. Replacement tubes are inexpensive can be purchased from alcosense.co.uk or an AlcoSense retailer.
   
2. Turn the unit on by pressing and holding the power key. The unit will display the number of tests performed on the screen for three seconds, then it will display "Wait" for 30 to 90 seconds. This time is used to pre-heat the sensor to operating temperature and check the sensor condition. It will then count down from 9 to 0.
3. The AlcoSense will then beep and flash BLOW on the screen. At this point you must blow into the AlcoSense breathalyser.
   
   when blowing use a pressure similar to a sigh. When you have the correct pressure the breathalyser will make a constant beep. You must keep blowing for around 5-7 seconds until the unit makes a double beep.
4. Your result will be displayed.

Please note: Leave a minimum of 5 minutes between tests. Do not perform more than 5 tests in one hour and no more than 20 tests in 24 hours. More frequent testing can cause a build-up of breath condensation or alcohol vapour in the breathalyser which can temporarily affect accuracy. If you perform two tests sequentially, you may get a variation between readings for the above reasons and that it can take a few minutes for the alcohol concentration inside the lungs to stabilise again after the first test.

Possible Error Screens

Either the pressure you blew at was too variable or you did not blow for long enough. Take a deep breath before blowing and blow out at a consistent pressure like you're taking a sigh until you hear the double beep.

Either the breathalyser did not detect your breath as the pressure was too low, or you did not blow into the breathalyser within 10 seconds of it starting to say blow on the screen.

Understanding the Results

Description	Screen	Explanation
LO Less than 0.2‰BAC		Zero or Trace Alcohol There is either no alcohol in the sample or such a small amount it is negligible. The reading is well below the legal drink drive limit.
Between 0.2‰BAC and 1.5‰BAC		Alcohol Present - DO NOT DRIVE Your reading of 0.2‰BAC and 1.5‰BAC is displayed on the screen. See the limits table on the following page. Alcohol is present in the sample - DO NOT DRIVE.
Above 1.5‰BAC		The sample's alcohol level is above 1.5‰BAC and is outside the reading range of this device. DO NOT DRIVE.
Breath flow error		Either the pressure you blew at was too variable or you did not blow for long enough. Take a deep breath before blowing and blow out at a consistent pressure like you're taking a sigh until you hear the double beep. If you have any problems please call us.
Error in Reading		Either the breathalyser did not detect your breath as the pressure was too low, or you did not blow into the breathalyser within 10 seconds of it starting to say blow on the screen. If you still experience problems after several attempts please contact us.

Drink Drive Limits

With only 0.1‰BAC in your system you are 37% more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than when sober. As a result do not drive with any alcohol in your system. The limits below are accurate as of October 2017 (E&OE), but can change. Please check with your local road authority before use.

*As of October 2017 the Northern Irish Parliament are currently debating reducing their limit to 0.5‰BAC.

The AlcoSense Zero is accurate to +/-0.2‰BAC. This means that taking into account all variables the reading shown could be 0.2‰BAC lower or higher than the actual reading. For example, if you see 0.6‰BAC there is a possibility that you might have a true reading of 0.8‰BAC. As a result always add 0.2‰BAC to the reading you see on screen to be safe and only ever drive when you are clear of alcohol and feel 100%.

Maintenance

Keep it Clean

To keep your AlcoSense in tip top condition we recommend keeping it clean using a soft dry cloth. We recommend keeping your unit safe using the AlcoSense carry case which is sold separately from alcosense.co.uk and AlcoSense retailers.

Clean the Sensor

Every 4-6 weeks or if the unit has not been used for a period of time, perform a sensor clean. This can be triggered by removing the batteries, waiting 10 seconds and re-inserting them.

Be Careful

Take care not to drop the AlcoSense breathalyser as sudden knocks can affect the unit's accuracy. If you have dropped your AlcoSense and feel that it is not reading correctly please contact us to arrange to have the unit serviced. A protective carry case is sold seperately at alcosense.co.uk

Technical Support

If you have any queries which are not covered in this manual or need assistance using your unit please call our technical support number Monday to Friday 9am to 5.30pm. When calling please make sure you have your breathalyser to hand.

Re-Calibration

Like any breathalyser, whether for Police use of otherwise, your AlcoSense will require re-calibration after a period of use. We recommend your AlcoSense breathalyser should be re-calibrated once a year or every 300 tests, whichever comes first. If you do not have your breathalyser calibrated within these schedules it may read inaccurately. See the Recalibration section for more information.

Recalibration

Like any breathalyser, whether for Police use of otherwise, your AlcoSense will require re-calibration after a period of use. We recommend your AlcoSense breathalyser should be re-calibrated once a year or every 300 tests, whichever comes first. If you do not have your breathalyser calibrated within these schedules it may read inaccurately.

When you turn your breathalyser on it will display how many tests it has done during the first 3 seconds. After 300 tests you breathalyser will display "Recalibrate Now" on the screen. Recalibration is a chargeable service, but necessary to maintain the accuracy of your breathalyser.

When this appears, go to www.alcosense.co.uk/cal to arrange your calibration.

*Subject to change and may vary by retailer

Troubleshooting

If the below does not solve your issue, please visit www.alcosense.co.uk/zero for more help.

I have got a positive reading but I haven't drunk any alcohol.

This can be caused by testing within 10 minutes of eating some strong foods, using dental products, chewing gum or smoking. On some occasions it can also be caused by the body releasing acetone/ketones released during the metabolism of acetoacetic acid. This can be increased with the use of some prescribed medications or certain medical conditions, most commonly diabetes. A healthy body can also create these substances occasionally, it is more likely if you are on a low carbohydrate diet such as the Atkins diet or similar. If you experience this problem please call us. Sometimes the first reading after a sensor clean can also do this.

I'm doing a breath test and it says FLO or ERR.

Please see section 10, understanding the results. If you continue to experience problems please call us.

I've done two breath tests and got different results.

This is expected. The first test is the most accurate, if you perform a second test within a few minutes of the first test the breath alcohol levels in your lungs may not have stabilised after the first test, causing the second test to give you a different reading. If you have recently drunk alcohol, your blood alcohol level can also change quickly over the course of a few minutes. This is why you should only use the breathalyser 90 minutes after drinking or ideally, the morning after. If you test two different breathalysers back to back you will also expect slightly different readings for the same reason. This is why you cannot use one breathalyser to test the accuracy of another, it can only be done using Breath Alcohol Simulators. This is why UK law allows for up to 15% difference on sequential test results taken by the Police.

I've done a lot of tests in quick succession and I've got 15 a strange result

This can be caused by a build-up of breath condensation or alcohol vapour from previous tests in the breathalyser which sometimes cause temporary inaccuracy until it evaporates, this can affect any breathalyser, including Police breathalysers. To avoid this leave a minimum of 5 minutes between tests and do not perform more than 5 tests in one hour, and no more than 20 tests in 24 hours. Always use a new mouthpiece for each test. If you do experience this problem the condensation should evaporate within 2 hours at normal room temperature and the breathalyser will return to normal operation.

My breathalyser started to do a test by itself and displayed an error

This can happen if the breathalyser is used in a noisy environment over 95dBA. When turned on and ready to receive a blow sample pressure changes as a result of loud noises can occasionally cause the unit to think breath is entering the device, and then show a blow error. If this occurs please move to a quieter area away from the source of the sound and attempt the test again.

Any other issues

Please check the www.alcosense.co.uk support section for more troubleshooting advice. If you still experience problems after this point please contact us on 0800 195 0088, Mon to Fri 9am to 5pm.

For any other queries please visit www.alcosense.co.uk/zero or call us on 0800 195 0088 from inside the UK, or on +44 1628 778885 from outside the UK.

Technical specifications

Documents / Resources

References

• AlcoSense Calibration - CALIBRATION & SERVICING - AWARD-WINNING BREATHALYZERS
• AlcoSense Zero Support
• Breathalyzer and Home Alcohol Testers // AlcoSense Breathalysers

Download manual

Here you can download full pdf version of manual, it may contain additional safety instructions, warranty information, FCC rules, etc.

Download AlcoSense Zero - Alcohol Tester Manual