Comparison DINGO AT-2000 vs Inspector AT550

The measurement range provided by the breathalyzer. It is indicated from the minimum level of alcohol in the blood that the device is able to detect, to the maximum.

It is worth choosing according to this parameter, taking into account the purposes for which it is planned to use the device, what levels of alcohol they will have to measure. For your convenience, you can use the following table:

— Up to 0.3 ‰ — asymptomatic degree of intoxication. There are no obvious signs of alcohol consumption, it is impossible to detect them without special means. In countries where there is no “zero per mille” rule for drivers, the blood alcohol level allowed for driving is usually within these limits (most often it is 0.2 ‰).

— 0.3 – 0.6 ‰ — a slight degree of intoxication. Some violation of concentration and coordination, disinhibition, talkativeness, the appearance of relaxation and euphoria.

— 0.6 – 1 ‰ — the average degree of intoxication. Dullness of sensations, weakening of self-control, loss of logic in reasoning, memory lapses after sobering up are possible.

— 1 – 2 ‰ — the degree of intoxication is above average. Speech becomes almost incomprehensible, reflexes and coordination are severely impaired, mood swings and manifestations of uncontrolled aggression are possible.

— 2 – 3 ‰ — a significant degree of intoxication: confusion and loss o...f consciousness, severe motor impairment.

— 3 – 4 ‰ — a strong degree of intoxication: a violation of the heartbeat and breathing, uncontrolled vomiting and urination, the inability to stand and move straight.

— above 4 ‰ — a critical degree of intoxication, a fatal outcome is likely.

Note that for some breathalyzers, the lower limit of the measurement range is indicated as "0". You can estimate the lowest concentration of alcohol that such a device is guaranteed to be able to detect using the maximum error (see below): the lower limit of the range will approximately correspond to the claimed error.

The maximum measurement error provided by the device during operation, in other words, the largest deviation from the actual result that may occur during measurements. For example, if the error is claimed at the level of 0.1 ‰, and the measurement result is 0.5 ‰, then the actual amount of alcohol in the blood will be from 0.4 ‰ to 0.6 ‰.

In the most advanced models, this parameter is 0.05 ‰ or less ; values of 0.06 – 0.1 ‰ correspond to the average level, more than 0.1 ‰ — low accuracy. The lower the error, the more accurate the device, the more reliable its readings. On the other hand, high accuracy has a corresponding effect on the price. Therefore, when choosing according to this criterion, it is worth considering what exactly a breathalyzer is needed for and how important measurement accuracy is for it. In particular, for devices used by the traffic police, there are accuracy requirements that are expressly specified in regulatory documents.

The blowing time is the shortest time during which you need to blow into the device for effective measurement. The shorter this time, the more sensitive and advanced the breathalyzer is, the simpler the measurement procedure and the less time it will take; the fastest modern appliances purge in 3 seconds or less. On the other hand, a short blowing time affects the cost. Therefore, if the device is not planned to be used for mass streaming checks, this parameter can be ignored.

Possibility of operation of the device with the established upper limit of the norm. If the measurement results do not exceed this value, the device will simply display them on the display, and if exceeded, it will give a warning signal. The limit of the norm, usually, the user can set at his discretion within the measurement range.

This function is very useful in situations where you do not need to determine the exact content of alcohol in the blood, but only to check whether it is within the allowed level. And some advanced models with this function have advanced features and are able, for example, to control an electronic lock, opening it only if the result does not exceed the normal limit.

A function that allows the breathalyzer to automatically control the correctness of the measurement procedure. To do this, the device analyzes the volume of actually exhaled air, and if this volume is not enough for effective analysis, it reports that the measurement needs to be repeated. As the name implies, the main purpose of anti- cheating is to prevent measurement manipulation, when the test person tries to artificially lower the readings by “blowing out” an insufficient amount of air. Although, of course, this function will be useful if the user violates the procedure unintentionally.

Devices with this function are able to automatically turn off if the user has not performed any actions for a certain time after the last measurement. This saves battery power, eliminates the need to manually turn off the power, and can be a good insurance against forgetfulness. The shutdown time is usually from several tens of seconds to several minutes; in some models, it can be set at your discretion.

The backlight allows you to read the display in low light conditions and even in complete darkness. The way it works can be different: in some models, the backlight turns on automatically when the device is turned on or when the result is displayed, in others, by pressing a special button.

Type of power supplied by the device. The power supply methods used in modern breathalyzers can be divided into two types — replaceable cells of a standard size and original batteries.

The first option is convenient because dead batteries can be quickly replaced with fresh ones — the main thing is to have a supply on hand. At the same time, replaceable elements can be made both disposable and rechargeable, in the form of batteries. On the other hand, batteries usually have to be purchased separately — and either regularly buy more disposable cells, or spend a significant amount on batteries and a charger. Here are the main sizes of replaceable elements found in modern breathalyzers:

— AAA. Cylindrical-shaped batteries, known as "mini finger" or "little finger" batteries. A fairly popular option, especially among entry-level and mid-level breathalyzers: they are small in size, and although the capacity of such batteries is small, it is quite enough for the mentioned devices.

— AA. Classic, known to many "finger" batteries. For a number of reasons (in particular, due to the larger size), they are used in breathalyzers less frequently than the “little finger” AAA.

— PP3. Batteries of a characteristic rectangular shape with a pair of contacts on one of the ends. They are distinguished by a rather high voltage — 9 V. They are used mainly in professional devices with an abundance of additional functions that require a large amount of energy.<...br>
As for the original batteries, such batteries often outperform replacement batteries in terms of performance and do not require additional costs: the battery is purchased immediately with the device and in the future it is enough to periodically recharge it. On the other hand, charging requires time and a power source; it is usually impossible to quickly replace a dead battery. And the mentioned performance advantages are rarely decisive. As a result, this variant is relatively rare in breathalyzers.