Testing voltages on light switches

[TonyandCheeny]

Hello guys.
I have a question as being in Africa for 15 years, I used to use a mustimeter to check voltages at the light switches as they got neutral and lives inside the switches, however when I moved to England I found out that there is no neutral at the switch as the neutral goes to the bulb directly and the switch only contains live wires. I cant test that with my multimeter as they wont be potential difference. What do you guys use to check?

Cheers
T.

 

[James]

Normally I will measure live to earth if checking a light switch.

 

[littlespark]

In the olden days, you could check live to earth, but doing that sometimes trips an rcd.

Newer builds now have a neutral at switches

 

[TonyandCheeny]

In the olden days, you could check live to earth, but doing that sometimes trips an rcd.

Newer builds now have a neutral at switches

True but for the 3 plate lighting its kinda hard as some switches are not metal and they dont have earth connected

 

[DPG]

True but for the 3 plate lighting its kinda hard as some switches are not metal and they dont have earth connected

Regardless if whether they are metal, they should still have an earth (CPC) brought to them.

 

[TonyandCheeny]

Regardless if whether they are metal, they should still have an earth (CPC) brought to them.

true, the only way would be to make your body as a earth by using neon test lamps if the earth is missing!