Testing A Wall Light Switch

Then flip the switch to the on position and touch both terminals with a probe from the tester.
Testing a wall light switch. The tester should light up when the switch lever is in the on position but should not light up when the switch lever is off. The switch is good if the continuity tester lights. A much better option for testing a switch is a non contact voltage tester. The most common methods for testing a light switch.
Testing a switch with a continuity tester. Testing your switch with a continuity tester 1 locate the terminal screws on the light switch. Turn the switch lever on and off. Test the switch with a continuity tester.
Set the switch to the off position and touch both terminals on the side that held the wires. This type of tester has two lead wires that uses the battery voltage of the tester to test a circuit which in this example is the circuit components of a switch. Keep the circuit breaker flipped off for this. A continuity tester can be used to test the light switch while the circuit is off or the switch has been removed.
You can first check to see which side of the switch has power in it. Test the switch for continuity. Clip the wire of a continuity tester to one of the screw terminals and touch the other terminal with the tester probe. This type of tester senses when there is power in a wire.
Test the ground wires in the wall switch with a two lead circuit tester which has a red and a black lead running into black body with a small light. These are the screws that attach your switch to the wiring in the wall.