SMA SUFFERS PRIMARY ELECTRICAL SUPPLY PROB ON IFR IMC FLT. GETS FLT ASSIST IN DSCNT TO MINIMUM VECTORING ALT TO ESTABLISH VMC. EMER NOT DECLARED.

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WHILE FLYING ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM EDG; WEIDE ARMY AIRFIELD; TO CEF; WESTOVER ARPT; THE ACFT I WAS FLYING EXPERIENCED AN ALTERNATOR FAILURE OVER THE BRIDGEPORT VOR. I NOTIFIED THE ATC FACILITY I WAS IN CONTACT WITH; BRADLEY APCH CTL; OF THE PROB AND PWRED THE ACFT DOWN TO CONSERVE BATTERY PWR. I TURNED OFF ALL EXTERIOR LIGHTS; ALL COM AND NAV RADIOS; XPONDER AND INTERIOR LIGHTS. I CONTINUED THE FLT USING A HANDHELD RADIO FOR COMS AND A PORTABLE GPS RECEIVER FOR NAV. APCH CTL ALSO PROVIDED VECTORS. I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED DSCNT TO MINIMUM VECTORING ALT 2500 FT AND ESTABLISHED GND CONTACT AND VFR CONDITIONS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER; I CANCELLED THE INST FLT PLAN AND PROCEEDED VFR TO CEF. REMAINING BATTERY PWR WAS SUFFICIENT TO LOWER THE LNDG GEAR AND CONFIRM GEAR POS. SOME TIME LATER; I CALLED THE SUPVR OF THE BRADLEY TRACON AS REQUESTED AND THANKED HIM FOR THE SVC. I DID NOT CONSIDER THE EVENT AN EMER AS VFR CONDITIONS EXISTED TO MY DEST AND I HAD COM AND NAV CAPABILITY AS WELL AS A MEANS OF MANUALLY LOWERING THE LNDG GEAR IF REQUIRED.