A B767-300 CAPT RPTS PAX SEAT CTLR HOT AND SMOKING. SATCOM INTERMITTENT. MAINT CTLR HAD LIMITED KNOWLEDGE OF SEAT CTL.

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FLT ATTENDANT INFORMED ME THAT ONE OF THE LUMBAR SEAT CTLRS WAS VERY HOT AND SMOKING. AFTER A VERY QUICK INSPECTION I SENT THE RELIEF PLT BACK TO DISCONNECT THE ELECTRICAL PWR TO THE SEAT. I PROCEEDED TO LOOK FOR SUITABLE ARPTS AND CALL DISPATCH AND MAINT CTL WHILE THE COPLT FLEW THE AIRPLANE. TWO VERY DISCONCERTING THINGS HAPPENED: SATCOM WAS VERY INTERMITTENT (WE KEPT GETTING DISCONNECTED AND WHEN WE WERE ON; IT WAS VERY WEAK). THE SECOND PROB WAS THAT MAINT CTL'S KNOWLEDGE OF THE AIRPLANE WAS VERY POOR. I ASKED HOW TO DISCONNECT ALL PWR TO THE SEAT AND MAINT CTL SAID THAT THERE WAS NO INDIVIDUAL CTL ON THE SEAT AND WE COULD DISCONNECT 'CIRCUIT BREAKER-T8' AND TURN OFF PAX SVC PWR SWITCH ON 1L. BOTH CIRCUIT BREAKER AND SWITCH DID NOT REMOVE PWR AND THE SWITCH WAS GETTING HOTTER AND SMOKING MORE. MAINT CTL SAID THE ONLY OTHER WAY TO REMOVE PWR WAS INACCESSIBLE IN THE E&E BAY. WE HAD NO TOOLS AND A SIMPLE SCREWDRIVER OR SMALL KNIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TO POP THE SWITCH OUT AND REMOVE PWR. FINALLY THE COPLT GOT THE SWITCH REMOVED WITH A FORK. IF THIS HAD NOT WORKED I WOULD HAVE BEEN LEFT WITH SENDING BACK THE CRASH AX AND HACKING UP THE SEAT. ONCE THE SWITCH WAS REMOVED THE PROB WAS SOLVED. TWO VERY IMPORTANT THINGS CAME OUT OF THIS: IF WE HAD THE MOST RUDIMENTARY TOOLS SUCH AS WE HAD PRIOR TO 911 WE WOULD HAVE SOLVED THE PROB MUCH QUICKER. ALSO; IF MAINT CTL HAD MORE KNOWLEDGE OF THE ACFT HE WOULD HAVE INSTRUCTED US TO TEAR OFF THE BACK COVER OF THE SEAT AND THERE WE WOULD HAVE FOUND TWO CANNON PLUGS.