PRIMARY ELECTRICAL SUPPLY PROB IN A NIGHT OP.

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AT CRUISE FL330 ENRTE FROM ORLANDO; FL; TO ISLIP; NY; WE LOST ALL COCKPIT LIGHTING FOR APPROX 3-5 SECONDS. FOLLOWED BY TRANSFER TO STANDBY PWR ON CAPT'S INSTS; FO'S LIGHTS AND INSTS CONTINUED TO RECEIVE NORMAL PWR; GIVING US CONFLICTING INFO. AS TO NATURE OF LOSS. ELECTRICAL INSTS INDICATING NORMAL READINGS. DURING SEARCH FOR POPPED CIRCUIT BREAKER; LOST CABIN PRESSURE CTL. INITIATED EMER DSCNT PROCS. XPONDER WOULD NOT RESPOND TO ATTEMPTS TO SET 7700. LOST COM TO ZJX. A MITSUBISHI ACFT RELAYED OUR DISTRESS CALL AND PROVIDED NEW CTR FREQ. SUCCESSFUL CONTACT ON NEW FREQ. REQUESTED IMMEDIATE DSCNT CLRNC TO 10000 FT MSL; WHICH WAS GRANTED. UNEVENTFUL PRECAUTIONARY LNDG MADE AT CHARLOTTE DOUGLAS ARPT WITH NO INJURIES OR ACFT DAMAGE. MAINT INSPECTIONS SUBSEQUENTLY REVEALED INTERNAL FAILURE OF 'A' PHASE IN #1 GENERATOR AND THE FAILURE OF A PWR MODULE BEHIND THE CIRCUIT BREAKER PANEL. THIS TYPE OF FAILURE HAS NO ESTABLISHED EMER PROC AS THE INDICATIONS WERE CONTRADICTING EACH OTHER. OUR TRAINING CONTINUES TO INCLUDE 'VANILLA TYPE' MALFUNCTIONS BUT REALITY IS THAT WHEN FAILURES OCCUR THEY TEND TO BE COMPOUNDED BY OTHER FAILURES; BOTH HUMAN AND MECHANICAL WHICH FRUSTRATE THE CREW'S ATTEMPT TO SOLVE THE PROB.