STUDENT PLT EXERCISES THE LOST COM PROC. ERROR ADMITTED.

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WHILE IN CRUISE FLT; RETURNING TO NASHUA (ASH) FROM BRIDGEPORT; CT; THE RADIOS BEGAN TO BLINK ON AND OFF AND FINALLY WENT BLANK. THE DME WAS STILL WORKING BUT THE VORS WERE DISPLAYING AN OFF FLAG. I ASSUMED AT THAT POINT THAT THE RADIOS WERE MY ONLY PROB SO I CHKED THE AMMETER BUT IT SHOWED NO DISCHARGE AND THEN CHKED THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS BUT ALL WERE CHKED IN. I THEN SQUAWKED 7700 FOR 1 MIN AND 7600 FOR 15 MINS; ASSUMING THAT MANCHESTER WOULD RECEIVE ME ON THEIR RADAR AND CALL NASHUA. AT THIS POINT THE DME HAD ALSO STOPPED WORKING. APPROX 5 MI AWAY FROM NASHUA I NOTICED THAT MY FUEL GAUGES READ '0.' I HAD PLANNED TO OVERFLY THE FIELD 500 FT ABOVE PATTERN ALT AND WAIT FOR LIGHT SIGNALS BUT UPON THIS DISCOVERY; I DECIDED TO ENTER THE PATTERN RIGHT AWAY. I NEXT ATTEMPTED TO USE MY FLAPS BUT THEY DID NOT WORK. I SAW NO LIGHT SIGNALS FROM THE TWR BUT DECIDED TO LAND ANYWAY. UPON SHUTDOWN OF THE ACFT; I NOTICED THE L SIDE OF THE MASTER SWITCH WAS OFF; MEANING THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS TURNED OFF AT SOME POINT AND I HAD DRAINED THE BATTERY. I HAD NOT REALIZED UNTIL I WAS ON THE GND THAT I HAD A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. IF I HAD; I WOULD HAVE POSSIBLY BEEN ABLE TO RECYCLE THE MASTER SWITCH AND AVOIDED THE SIT. I BELIEVE THAT THE ONLY WAY TO HAVE PREVENTED THIS PROB WOULD HAVE BEEN TO HAVE BETTER ASSESSED THE SIT I WAS PRESENTED WITH. I WAS TOO QUICK TO ACCEPT MY FIRST CONCLUSION OF RADIO FAILURE AND DID NOT LOOK AT THE 'BIG PICTURE.' IF I HAD EXPECTED THE WORST; A TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE; I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO HAVE PREVENTED LNDG IN AN ATA WITHOUT CONTACTING TWR. ALSO; A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE ACFT SYS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED ME FROM ENTERING THE PATTERN WITHOUT LIGHT SIGNALS WHEN I NOTICED THE FUEL AT '0.'