ELECTRICAL FIRE WAS DISCOVERED ABOARD A B777-200 DURING CRUISE. SOURCE WAS IDENTIFIED AS A SPEAKER CTL DRIVER MODULE; AND POWER WAS REMOVED FROM THE UNIT; ELIMINATING THE FUMES.

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FOR THE SECOND TIME IN 3 MONTHS; I HAVE EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL FIRE ON A B777. THIS TIME; A CARAMEL BURNING SMELL WAS NOTICED BY FLT ATTENDANTS IN THE BUSINESS CLASS GALLEY. INITIAL DIAGNOSIS WAS BURNING FLUORESCENT BALLASTS. GALLEY LIGHTING WAS CUT OFF. CALLS MADE TO MAINT TO SECURE PERMISSION TO DROP CEILING PANEL FOR INSPECTION. CHKING THE TOOL KIT; WE HAD NO PHILLIPS HEAD SCREWDRIVER BIT. WE WERE ABLE TO USE; WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY; BUTTER KNIVES TO SWING THE DZUZ SCREWS AND DROPPED THE LIGHTING PANEL. ALL BALLASTS WERE EQUAL IN TEMP. A FLT ATTENDANT NOSED INTO THE OVERHEAD AREA; AND DETERMINED THE SOURCE TO BE A SPEAKER CTL DRIVER MODULE. PERMISSION WAS GIVEN BY MAINT TO REMOVE 28 VOLT DC PWR AND SHORTLY THE BURNING SMELL DECREASED. THE LAST TIME I HAD A BURNING BALLAST; 2 HRS OVERWATER; WE USED A CRASH AXE TO SWING THE AFT GALLEY PANEL DOWN TO LOCATE THE FIRE. IF I COULD NOT HAVE DETERMINED THE SOURCE OF THE BURNING SMELL; MY ONLY CHOICES WOULD BE TO DIVERT AND LET THE ELECTRICAL FIRE/SHORT CONTINUE. IT IS MY SUGGESTION THAT SUFFICIENT PHILLIPS HEAD; FLAT HEAD; AND ALLEN KEY BITS IN THE TOOL KIT IN THE COCKPIT TO DROP ANY PANELS TO INVESTIGATE BURNING SMELLS AND SMOKE. DROPPING THE CEILING PANEL AND CONSULTING WITH MAINT AND DISPATCH SAVED A DIVERT; THIS TIME. IF WE CANNOT LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE SMOKE/SMELL/FIRE INFLT WE MUST DIVERT. BUY THE BITS!