How To Check Phase, Neutral And Earthing?

To run any electrical device, a phase and a neutral are required.  If you have read that, basic electrical knowledge to work as an electrician. Friends, to check Phase, Neutral and Earthing, you must have the tools mentioned below.

1.  Test Lamp
2. Multimeter
3. Neon Tester

How to check phase in switch board?

So friends, while doing any electrical work, we have to first identify the phase coming from the supply source. We do electrical work.  But some places are such that you cannot work there by turning off the supply.  So before working in such places, check the phase with the Neon Tester.  All of you must have done this.  By applying the tester to the wire, the light of the tester starts blowing, that means phase is coming in that wire.

Always remember

The most important rules when working on the ON condition of electric supply.

• Friends, always keep in mind that do not let any of your body parts come in direct contact with the phase wire.  Electric shock may occur.  Always do any work by turning off the main supply.  (If you are new to electrical work, do not work on a live line at all.)
• If phase wire contacts with neutral or earthing wires come in direct contact with each other, a short circuit can occur.

If you follow the above mentioned two things even while working in closed line, then I would like to say from my experience that you will become expert in working in the current line very soon.

How to check neutral in switch board? | 3 Ways to Check Neutral

Friends, the neon tester never blows in neutral in normal condition.  Therefore tester is not the right tool to check neutral.  The right tool to check for neutral is a test lamp or multimeter.  Friends, I will teach you to check neutral with test lamp and multimeter, but there is another way by which you can check neutral, which hardly anyone would have told you.

First we see that,

How to check neutral with test lamp?

After identifying the phase with the tester, touch the end of any one wire of the test lamp with the phase point.  And at the same time touch the other end of the test lamp’s wire to the point which you think may be neutral.  If the bulb of the test lamp does not light up by touching the wire, then check any other point on the switch board.  While doing this, the point on which the bulb of your test lamp blows up on touching means that it will burn.  That point will be either neutral or earthing.  If the earthing connection is made in the switch board.  If the earthing connection is not made, then the point which touches the bulb is blowing, that point will be 100% neutral.

Is the wire neutral or how to identify the earthing?

How to check neutral with multi meter?

Friends, if you want to earn money by doing electrical work in less time and by working less hard.  So you must have a multimeter.

 If you know how to use a multimeter.  So it’s okay if you don’t know how to operate a multimeter, then comment.

How do multimeters work?  A detailed post will be available for you regarding this.  And how do multimeters work?  A video of this will also be our YouTube channel.

If you have any multimeter, then you select AC Voltage in it.

As in what do we check neutral with a test lamp?  In the same way, check the wires of the switch board with the 2 wires of the multimeter.  Always put the red wire of the multimeter in phase.  If the black wire is connected in phase, then the voltage shown on the display will be shown in minus.

The only difference between a test lamp and a multimeter would be that the bulb lights up in phase and neutral/earthing.  And on checking the phase and neutral/earthing with the multimeter, the voltage between 200 volts to 230 volts will be shown on the display of the multimeter.

 Is the wire neutral or Earth how to identify the earthing?

How to check neutral with neon tester?

I wish someone would have told this method.  Use this method only if you do not have a test lamp or multimeter.  See the picture given below.

 The way we check the phase with the neon tester.  Check the phase in that way.

After the phase is identified, take a piece of wire.  Remove the insulation from both the ends of that piece of wire.

Attach one end of the wire to the top side of the neon tester as shown.

Earlier we have told you to check neutral with test lamp and multimeter, just test it in the same way.

The piece of wire that is connected to the tester by touching the tip of the tester to the phase.  Touch the other end of it to the point you think may be neutral.  (Be careful not to touch the conductor of the wire or the upper end of the tester while doing this action.)

The point at which the end of the wire touches the tester burns.  Understand that it is Neutral or Earthing.

If the earthing connection is not made in the switch board, then the point on which the tester is blowing as soon as it is touched will be 100% neutral.

Is the wire neutral or how to identify the earthing?

In all the three methods mentioned above, the neutral and earthing two wires were understood.  But in reality, which is neutral and which is Earthing, how do we find out.  lets see.

 If you are doing the above mentioned tests in a switch board, which has a 3 pin socket.  So you will be able to identify neutral and earthing.

How to identify Phase Neutral Earthing in Pin Socket?

 In a 3 pin  socket, the larger terminal at the top is always used for earthing connections.  Looping of an earthing wire in the switch board If you look carefully, you will understand which earthing wire is, and where does that wire extend in the switch board.

 The terminal with the phase in a 3 pin socket is the neutral terminal.

 Friends, while doing the work of Electric Switch Board, you should always remember that the phase should always be on the right side as shown in the picture.  While checking the neutral in the socket, you will find this connection inverted in many places.  Neutral instead of phase and phase instead of neutral.  This may be due to lack of knowledge of the electrician who made this connection initially.  Another reason could be that the phase and neutral alternate.

What is the alternate of phase neutral called?

The main phase wire coming into the switch board and the neutral wire from the supply source means that the pole of the company providing electricity or the MCB, distribution box of the place where this switch board is located should be interchanged.  Means having neutral instead of phase and phase instead of neutral.  This change of phase and neutral is called alternating phase and neutral in electrical language.

 If you are confused that

What is the neutral and earthing wire?  So you check with the below mentioned

Find out the source of Phase and Neutral coming in that Switch Board.  Means the main switch there, or Main 2 Pole MCB,

After knowing the source, turn off the main switch or main MCB.

After turning off the main switch, check all the four terminals of the switch.  Above or below where you see the phase, there are two points of incoming supply.  Similarly check the four terminals of the MCB and locate the incoming terminals.

The two points which are exactly opposite of incoming are for outgoing supply.  Now you turn on the main switch or MCB.  Unlike the incoming phase which is terminal.  If the phase comes in it and when the MCB is closed again, the phase does not come, then understand that the same terminal is of the outgoing phase.

The terminal next to the outgoing phase will be the neutral outgoing terminal.

From the neutral terminal, remove the neutral wire going to the switch board by turning off the main switch or mcb and keep that wire at a place where it is not touching and do not touch it.

Now turn the switch or MCB ON in you.  This will happen that only the phase will reach the switch board, not the neutral will reach.

 And now you can check Phase and Earthing.  After detecting the earthing, keep the earthing wire in mind.

After closing the switch, reconnect the neutral to the outgoing terminal.

You can check neutral again by turning the main switch ON.  Now you know Earthing.  And now the neutral will also be known.