Testing for live

It is a bit of a worry if you dont know how to check for safe isolation or dont have the correct equipment. Get a quote from a registered electrician, it will not be as expensive as you think. You will need a two pole voltage tester and a proving unit. If you are changing two way switches etc take a photo first or you may not put the cables in the correct terminals..

Please don't listen to Internal Repairs or Home Tec. To Home Tec - Please don't give out electrical advice if you are not qualified to do so. Turning the lights on and off is not a safe method to make sure a circuit is safe to work on To Internal Repairs - Please use correct terminology (What is a current tester??) To answer the initial question, the only way to ascertain whether or not a circuit is safe to work on, is to follow the correct safe isolation procedures.This is a very important part of every electricians training and if not followed properly will be an automatic failure of an exam or an instant dismissal from most sites. These procedures require an Approved Voltage Indicator to GS38 and a Proving Unit. If you do not have these items of equipment or are not sure of safe isolation procedures, please hire a registered competent electrician. Brendan Mines

Voltage detectors are a handy second line of defence in checking electrics. I always use one. However you should always check it's working everytime you use it by double checking it against a socket or live flex. Anything that you know is live basically. They are not always that robust so the batteries can fall out or they get knocked about with tools etc so you must check they work first before relying on them for certain. Electricians are supposed to use dedicated current testers and check for dead every time. This isn't always practical though and the voltage detectors are handy. I would check the fitting you want to work on first with the voltage detector. When you get a positive response turn off the mains and recheck. I would go by this as a loose method of ascertaining isolation. Do not just turn off the circuit. You have no way of knowing if it is connected to another circuit or if you have borrowed neutrals. Turn off all the whole fuse board. There are other issues to watch for. There may be borrowed neutrals or cross connections. This can happen in older installations and conversions. Your wiring may be inadvertently connected to your neighbours. You never know! In this case use a current tester or ask an electrician. If your moving into the house then the smartest thing you could do is get an EICR done which would highlight any problems you might have in the property. Good luck

Agree totally with Brendan Mines here. Current tester! Ha! Seriously please take Brendan's advice. Safety first.

To Mines and Deacon There are quite a few of the much loved 5ww on here who continually spout nonsense that they hash together from books, it would be laughable if it wasn't so dangerous. The lack of knowledge these people have is scary. "It's not always practical" to check that the equipment you're about to work on is "dead every time". I am speechless.

hi there, as long as you turn the electric off from the mains then you will be fine. once you have turned the electric off you could ways try turning on the light to see if there is power to it. the neon screw drivers are no good the plug 9 times out of ten has gone. the voltage detectors are good to have in your tool box and are small and hand held hope this has helped