SMA PLT IN A NIGHT OP LOSES ALTERNATOR. COORD WITH FSS WHO IN TURN COORD WITH DEST ARPT TWR REF PROBLEM OF LOST COM PROC AND PLT CTLED RWY LIGHTING. TWR REMAINS OPEN.

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I WAS ENRTE FROM MUNCIE TO LAFAYETTE ABOUT 10-15 MINS FROM MUNCIE WHEN I DISCOVERED THE ALTERNATOR LIGHT WAS ON. I WENT TO THE OPERATING MANUAL AND DID THE ALTERNATOR FAILURE CHKLIST. I THEN INFORMED MUNCIE TWR TO CONTACT LAFAYETTE IN CASE I LOST MY RADIOS. MY CHOICE WAS TO EITHER SPEND 15 MINS GOING BACK TO MUNCIE TO AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT OR TO LAFAYETTE 20 MINS AWAY AND WHERE I HAVE ALWAYS FLOWN OUT OF. I CONTACTED FSS (TERRE HAUTE) AND TOLD THEM WHAT I WAS DOING; THEN CHOSE TO REDUCE THE LOAD EVEN MORE BY TURNING OFF MY RADIOS; BUT LEAVING MY NAV AND ANTI-COLLISION LIGHTS ON. 10 MIS FROM LAFAYETTE; I TURNED ON MY RADIOS; BUT THEY WERE INOP. I SQUAWKED 7600 AND SHUT OFF ALL LIGHTS. I WAS THEN ABLE TO CONTACT FSS AGAIN. I WAS CLRED INTO LAFAYETTE. THEY LEFT THE TWR IN OP BECAUSE OF PLT CTLED LIGHTING -- IN CASE I LOST MY RADIOS AGAIN. GRISSOM AIR FORCE BASE WAS INFORMED AND ZID BY FSS. I WAS ABLE TO CONTACT LAFAYETTE TWR AND LAND SAFELY. THE MECH SAID THE ALTERNATOR BELT BROKE. THE ONLY THING I CAN SAY TO PLTS IS ALWAYS GO BY THE MANUAL. IT SAID IN THE EMER CHKLIST TO LAND AS SOON AS PRACTICAL; I DID. I FELT LETTING FSS KNOW WAS IMPORTANT AND WAS THE CORRECT DECISION. THE BELT BROKE BUT WAS FINE WHEN I PREFLTED THE PLANE AND ON RUNUPS; SO REALIZE THAT EVEN WHEN PREFLTED CORRECTLY; THINGS CAN STILL GO WRONG.