PLT OF A PIPER 300T SARATOGA LOST ALL ELECTRICAL PWR ABOUT 5 MI OUT FOR LNDG AND FOUND THAT THE GEAR HAD NOT EXTENDED DURING LNDG FLARE WHEN THE CABIN ENTRANCE STEP WAS HEARD STRIKING THE RWY. A SUCCESSFUL GAR WAS MADE AND THE GEAR MANUALLY PUMPED DOWN FOR THE SECOND ATTEMPTED LNDG.

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LOSS OF ELECTRICAL PWR BECAME OBVIOUS APPROX 5 MI FROM ARPT. I HAD A LOSS OF RADIO COM WITH THE TWR AND LOSS OF LIGHTING IN COCKPIT. GEAR SWITCH WAS PLACED IN DOWN POS BUT NO GEAR DOWN INDICATOR LIGHTS APPEARED DUE TO LOSS OF ELECTRICAL PWR. UPON CONTACT WITH THE RWY BY THE STEP; ATTACHED TO THE AIRPLANE; I GAVE FULL PWR TO THE AIRPLANE; CLBED TO A SAFE ALT; EXTENDED THE GEAR MANUALLY; AND LANDED SUCCESSFULLY. I BELIEVE THE GEAR; WHICH ARE HYD; WOULD NOT ACTUATE BECAUSE THE SWITCH IS ELECTRIC. IN CASE I EVER HAVE ANOTHER LOSS OF ELECTRICAL PWR; I INTEND TO MANUALLY EXTEND THE GEAR BEFORE I MAKE AN INITIAL APCH. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE PROB TURNED OUT TO BE A BROKEN ALTERNATOR BELT WHICH DRIVES THE ALTERNATOR AND IS DIFFICULT TO OBSERVE DURING PREFLT. HE NOW KNOWS THAT THE HYD PUMP FOR THE GEAR IS DRIVEN BY AN ELECTRICAL MOTOR IN ADDITION TO THE ELECTRICAL SWITCH CAUSING THE NEED TO MANUALLY PUMP THE GEAR DOWN. THE REASON THAT THE ELECTRICAL PROB WAS NOT OBSERVED SOONER WAS THE FLT STARTED IN DAYLIGHT AND THE BATTERY HAD SUFFICIENT CHARGE TO USE UNTIL FLYING INTO DARKNESS WHEN MORE ELECTRICAL PWR HELPED DRAIN THE BATTERY.