How to check Phase, Neutral and Ground of AC Wiring Using a Multimeter

I'm by no means an Electrical Engineer but from time to time I have to do your typical DC wiring and soldering. But AC is a completely different beast to me, since I rarely have to interact with it.

That's why this was done: so I can get this information quicker instead of burning stuff down and / or having 230V - or read that as 120V if you live in 'Murica - rushing through my heart.

• With the Power Supply / Lamp / LIVE (BE EXTRA CAREFUL)
• Set the Multimeter to AC Volts
• Connect to 2 terminals
  • If you connected Phase and Neutral = 230 Volts
  • If you connected Phase and Earth = 230 Volts
  • If you connected Neutral and Earth = 0 Volts
  • So the same wire giving the 230 Volts reading will be the Phase (Live Wire)
• Now that you've identified the Phase Wire:
  • Shut of Power Supply (SHUT IT OFF)
  • Set meter to Ohms
  • Test Phase to Earth = should be open/high resistance
  • Test Phase to the other wire = if it reads 0 - or near - Ohms, that is the Neutral wire.