DURING A NIGHT INST TRAINING FLT IN A SMA SEL; WHILE HOLDING NEAR THE ARPT; TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED. TWR LIGHT SIGNALS WERE USED TO RETURN AND LAND.

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WAS GIVING INST TRAINING TO FRIEND. WHILE HOLDING OVER LIT VOR WE HAD A TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE. TRAINING WAS VFR AND PLT WAS NOT WEARING A HOOD. PLT HAD NO IDEA WHAT TO DO OR HOW TO LAND (2000 PLUS HRS). I SUGGESTED HE FLY TOWARD THE TWR WHICH IS APPROX 3 NM FROM VOR. NOT TO CROSS ANY RWYS AND TO WAG HIS WINGS TO GET ATC ATTN AND LOOK FOR GREEN LIGHT. WE RECEIVED A FLASHING GREEN LIGHT SO WE FLEW DOWNWIND TO RWY. WE RECEIVED ANOTHER FLASHING GREEN LIGHT. DUE TO MYSELF NOT FLYING HARDLY ANY OR INSTRUCTING WITHIN THE LAST 90 DAYS; I COULD NOT REMEMBER IF WE NEEDED A FLASHING GREEN LIGHT OR STEADY GREEN. WE BOTH THOUGHT WE RECEIVED A STEADY GREEN BEFORE TURNING BASE LEG; BUT WAS HARD TO TELL DUE TO HAZE AND LATE AFTERNOON. WE BOTH STILL COULD NOT REMEMBER WHICH LIGHT WE NEEDED. CHKING FOR TFC AND NOT SEEING ANY; WE LANDED. AFTER ENTERING TXWY WE LOOKED FOR ADDITIONAL LIGHT SIGNALS; BUT DID NOT SEE ANY; SO WE TAXIED TO FBO. AFTER RETURNING TO FBO; I LOOKED IN THE AIM TO CHK ON LIGHT SIGNALS. MY LESSON: ALTHOUGH I WAS NOT PIC I STILL SHOULD HAVE REVIEWED RULES; REGS; ETC BEFORE FLYING AGAIN SINCE IT HAD BEEN A LONG TIME AND THE STUDENT IS ALWAYS GOING TO ASSUME THE INSTRUCTOR WILL KNOW WHAT TO DO (AND HE SHOULD).