PLT OF A SMA PVT ACFT MADE TKOF WITHOUT USE OF ACFT LNDG LIGHTS TO CONSERVE THE BATTERY LOAD DUE TO ALTERNATOR MALFUNCTION.

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THE ALTERNATOR LIGHT ACTIVATED DURING CRUISE; IFR FROM JACKSON; MS; TO NEW ORLEANS LAKEFRONT. I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED VECTORS TO THE NEAREST ARPT; BXA FROM APCH; TO CHK THINGS OUT. NO PROB COULD BE FOUND AFTER RESTART SO I PROCEEDED TO DEPART BXA WITH POSITIONING LIGHTS ONLY TO CONSERVE PWR. I DID NOT USE THE LNDG LIGHTS. I THEN LANDED AT NEW WITHOUT INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE CESSNA 210 ALTERNATOR BELT HAD BROKEN CAUSING THE ALTERNATOR TO NOT RECHARGE THE BATTERY. HOWEVER; WHEN THE AMP METER REGISTERED A POSITIVE FLOW DURING INSPECTION AFTER HIS PRECAUTIONARY LNDG; THE RPTR BELIEVED THAT HE WAS GETTING CURRENT FROM THE ALTERNATOR. HE COULD NOT SEE THE BROKEN DRIVE BELT; THEREFORE; HE DID NOT KNOW AT THAT TIME HE WAS NOT GETTING A CHARGE! HE ELECTED TO NOT USE THE LNDG LIGHT IN ORDER TO SAVE CURRENT IN CASE HE WAS NOT GETTING THE NORMAL OUTPUT. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE READS ALL CALLBACKS AND BELIEVES THAT MOST ARE SUBMITTED TO HELP PLTS TO NOT BE VIOLATED BY THE FAA.