Calibration & Servicing

Why does the AlcoDigital 3000 need to be recalibrated?
EVERY breathalyzer has to be calibrated on a regular basis to enable the sensor to maintain it's accuracy.  The Garda usually calibrate their units WEEKLY, however for individual users ANNUAL calibration is usually enough - certainly if you do less than 500 tests a year.

Can I recalibrate my AlcoDigital 3000 myself?
No. It is highly unlikely that you would want to undergo the training necessary and purchase the equipment required, but in any case one of the reasons the 3000 is so much cheaper that it's Garda equivalent is because the functionality that enables it to be calibrated "on site" has been taken out of the unit.  This has helped to keep the costs down while making absolutely no difference to a personal user who wouldn't be calibrating it themselves anyway.

Does it still have to be recalibrated each year if I only use it occasionally?
It's a bit like servicing a car.  If your car does high mileage you need to have it serviced more often - but even if you hardly ever use the car, it still needs checking over once a year. In fact in the same way as a car doesn't respond well to sitting unused in the garage, neither does a breathalyzer; the sensor can become too dry and the batteries could potentially leak before they are used up.  Try and use it at least every couple of months or so at a minimum to check the batteries are OK and run the sensor through it's pre-test sequence. DO NOT however take the batteries out as the date/time clock will stop working!

How do I know when my unit needs Calibrating?
Essentially it's simply once a year but to help you remember, every time you switch it on it will tell you when the next calibration is due!

How do I get my AlcoDigital 3000 calibrated, and what does it cost?
An annual service and calibration costs €39 including insured, signed for delivery back to your home address.  (We would strongly recommend that you also use a suitable insured and signed for service when you send it back to us in case it gets lost on the way!)

How long does it take?
To keep the calibration cost down to something sensible we carry out the AlcoDigital 3000 calibrations in batches(calibration of a Draeger 6510 would normally be around twice this figure - €75, excluding shipping) .  We usually do this a couple of times a week so depending upon when your unit arrives, it can take around 7-10 days before you get it back HOWEVER we will do our best to turn it around for you as quickly as possible.

Where do I send it?
All calibrations of the AlcoDigital 3000 are carried out by AlcoDigital themselves at their UK office. The address will be printed on the invoice when you place the order, but in case you've lost it here it is again:

AlcoDigital (Calibrations), Fosters Yard, Forge Lane, Broadbridge Heath, West Sussex, RH12 3JA, United Kingdom.
 

© AlcoDigital 2005