A FIXED WING SMA IN CRUISE AND LOW ON FUEL LOST ALL ELECTRICAL PWR AND DIVERTED TO A CTLED ARPT. LOSS OF ELECTRICAL PWR WAS CAUSED BY ALTERNATOR FAILURE.

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ON TRIP TO SANTA YNEZ WITH PLANNED FUEL STOP AT SANTA BARBARA; FUEL GAUGES WERE SHOWING ALMOST EMPTY AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME I LOST ALL ELECTRIC TO RADIOS; ETC. I SAW CAMARILLO ARPT NOT KNOWING HOW MUCH FUEL I HAD LEFT. I MADE A DOWNWIND AND R BASE APCH TO RWY 26R BEHIND A TWIN AND LANDED. AFTER LNDG I STARTED TO LOOK FOR AN FBO TO FIND WHAT OUR PROB WAS. I WAS THEN STOPPED BY A SECURITY OFFICER AND A LADY. THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHY I DID NOT TALK TO THE TWR. I REPLIED I DID NOT HAVE ANY RADIO. THEY SAID WHY DIDN'T I FLY PAST THE TWR AND WOBBLE MY WINGS. NOT KNOWING MY FUEL SIT I DID NOT DO THIS AND TOLD THEM WHY. MADE ME LEAVE ACFT AT FBO TO BE REPAIRED. I DID NOT HAVE A CURRENT THIRD CLASS MEDICAL; BUT I DO NOW. I RECEIVED IT JUL/XX/97. I RENTED A CAR DROVE ON TO SANTA YNEZ. IN REGARD TO MY PROB; THE MECH AT THE FBO SAYS THESE TYPES OF THINGS JUST HAPPEN. IT ISN'T SOMETHING THAT TO BE PLANNED FOR LIKE ROUTINE MAINT. HE TOLD ME MY ALTERNATOR JUST QUIT. LIKE ANY ALTERNATOR SYS; WHEN THE BATTERY IS FULLY CHARGED; INDICATION ON AMMETER DOES NOT SHOW A REDLINE. THEN THE NEXT THING YOU DON'T HAVE ANY ELECTRICS -- IT JUST GOES OUT.