All the outlets and lights in the garage quit working. We know the fuse in the box is working and cannot find a GFI on the circuit. We tested the wires and they appear to be hot. Any ideas?

SOURCE: Modular Home Wiring Schematics

I disagree totally. Nobody wastes copper wire, especially idiots (because they make less money). Thoose extra wires are VITAL. The way to identify them would be to get a long extension cord, long enough to reach main breaker box. TURN OFF MAIN POWER SWITCH TO ENTIRE HOME. Make sure the "line" or "hot" wires are dead (since there are two boxes looped together, this house system may not be dead just from a switch). Once you are sure nothing is hot, use a VtVm to loop through the extension cord to each wire in main breaker box (top and bottom of each line/switch) and the bundle of wires in stove/oven box, testing continuity on each one. This will identify exactly where each wire DOES go... unfortunately, then you must determine where it SHOULD go (and sounds to me like those answers will be quite different) Be sure to get a VALID ground, since the stove is used near water. On mobile homes, this means hammering a long rebar or (specific, commercial copper grd rod) into the soil.

SOURCE: craftsman table saw

Alright, I have fixed mine, so maybe the same thing will work for two as well. I actually have a slightly different model (113.298341) but I imagine the electronics follow the same basic layout. FYI, I got a manual online through Sears for free.

Mine has a manual reset thermal overload protector to keep from burning up the more expensive stuff. It is the red "reset" button near the main switch that ought to pop out if it gets too hot, and can only be pushed back in when the machine is back down to a safe operating temp. I overloaded my machine, and the protector broke the circuit, BUT the button did not pop out and I therefore couldn't just push it back in. I took out the protector, and although it looked like the circuit should be closed, there was no conductance through the protector. I took off the tiny bolt on the back of the protector, essentially jostled the thing a little, replaced the bolt, and conductance is now restored. I re-installed the protector, replaced the front cover, and now she works like a charm.

So maybe these reset switches often don't act like they are supposed to? I'd recommend just checking everything in the line, beginning with the main power line in. it will contain three wires: the ground will be bolted to the frame, the others will run to the main switch and the relay, respectively. With the machine plugged in, touch your volt meter probes to the contacts on the way INTO the switch and relay, and you should have 120V. Then, check the switch by turning it to the ON position with the machine plugged in, leaving one probe on the IN contact of the relay, and moving the other to the OUT contact of the switch. Again, you'll get 120V if the switch is working correctly. Alternatively, you could just check conductance through the switch directly w/o involving the relay contact, either way is fine.

Next in line is the thermal switch, which was my issue. Unplug the machine and/or turn off the main switch (I do both, no point taking risks). You'll need to unscrew the switch, which is a black plastic cylinder about an inch in diameter with the red reset button on it, and check for conductance by probing the wires leading into and out of the back of the black plastic cylinder. If you don't get conductance, you're in the same boat as me, and try to fiddle with the bolt and restore conductance. Otherwise, it might be the relay or the capacitor on down the line. If not those, your motor might be shot, but we'll hope thats not the ca$e.

Hope this helps guys, I was really surprised that it turned out to be such an easy fix, you just need a screwdriver, a 3/16 wrench (for the bolt on the switch), and a voltmeter that tests up to 120V and can test for conductance. One thing to be very careful of is the large capacitor in the control box. I just stayed away from it, but I would seek further advice on how to test it if you need to. After taking apart a couple of cameras as a kid, I know not to mess around with those things. Otherwise, just use the same good sense you should bring to any fix involving 120V of electricity and a 10 inch steel blade.

SOURCE: GFI 'shorted'

load neutral connects to the neutral binding screw on the GFI, do NOT connect the load neutral to the neutral bar.

SOURCE: ground fault interrupt (GFI)

I have a Whirlpool Model AD$)DSR1 Dehumidifier, with similar issues. When plugged in where it was operating for three years with no problems, it would trip the gfci within 10 minutes. I have it out in the garage right now with all the covers off, and I've had it running on a heavy duty outlet for about a half hour now. The compressor is too hot to touch (ouch!), and the condenser coils are only cool, when they should be quite cold. I am ready to judge that one of two things has happened: Either the compressor is bad, or the refrigerant has leaked out of the system.

SOURCE: I HAVE A CRAFTSMAN MODEL # 137.218041,, 10

Sounds like you may have overheated the motor. I'm surprised the overload on the motor didn't trip first. With this overheating, the windings in the motor have basically shorted out to ground. This is why your breaker is tripping. Rewinding the motor is no longer the option these days. You can try going online to www.searspartsdirect.com