A PIPER 24-250 IN CRUISE AT 4000 FT DIVERTED DUE TO COMPLETE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL PWR; CAUSE UNKNOWN.

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DEPARTED LAKE IN THE HILLS (3CK) IFR ENRTE TO QUINCY; IL (UIN). DEP CLRNC 265 DEG VECTOR 3000 FT. CHICAGO SWITCHED ME TO ROCKFORD. CLB 4000 FT; 265 DEG VECTOR; EXPECT ON COURSE. LIGHTS IN COCKPIT STARTED TO DIM. AMMETER READING LOW; AUTOPLT KICKED OFF; RADIOS WOULD NOT XMIT. ATTEMPTED TO CALL ROCKFORD APCH SEVERAL TIMES. SQUAWKED 7600 AND STARTED TO TROUBLESHOOT; MAINTAINING 4000 FT AND 265 DEG HDG. THOUGHT I HAD LOST ALTERNATOR OR BELT. STARTED TO CHK CIRCUIT BREAKER AND FOUND ONE POPPED. RESET BREAKER; PWR WAS RESTORED. CONTACTED ROCKFORD AND ASKED FOR VECTORS TO VMC CONDITIONS AND RETURNED TO ASSIGNED SQUAWK. ROCKFORD ASKED IF THAT WAS ME 5 NM S OF ROCKFORD AND ASKED WHAT I WANTED TO DO. I STATED I WANTED VECTORS TO VISUAL TO LAND ROCKFORD; NO EMER EQUIP WAS REQUIRED. ROCKFORD APCH VECTORED ME TO A FINAL FOR RWY 19 WHERE I LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. IN THE MORNING I COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED IN THE MORNING A CHK OF THE ELECTRICAL SYS INCLUDING THE LIGHTS WAS MADE AND THE CIRCUIT BREAKER REMAINED CLOSED. THE RPTR SAID THE ACFT IS EQUIPPED WITH MORE THAN ADEQUATE ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND THE ELECTRICAL LOAD FOR THE CIRCUIT BREAKER MAY BE AT ITS LIMITS. THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT IS GOING INTO MAINT FOR UPGRADED ELECTRONICS AND THE SHOP WILL BE REQUESTED TO TEST OR REPLACE THE CIRCUIT BREAKER.