Continuity Coming Up

A continuity test will tell you whether a switch’s metal components, which are critical for the flow of the current, are intact or broken. A continuity tester is battery-powered and provides a current that passes from the tester’s clip through a device or fixture. The tester’s other component is a probe that lights up if a current is passing through the device as designed. To perform the test, a switch or fixture must be disconnected from its power source and removed. (The tester will supply the current for the test.) A continuity tester should never be used on a live current.
The following figures show you how to do a continuity test on a single-pole switch and a three-way switch. If your tests show you that the switch is the problem, it’s time to replace it.
If your tests show you that the switch is the problem, it’s time to replace it.