C172 PLT HAS ELECTRICAL PROBS; LOSES NAV AND COM EQUIP AND RETURNS FOR LNDG.

Narrative

ABOUT 15 MINS INTO THE FLT; AFTER CLBING TO 4000 FT; VMC; I NOTED THE LOW VOLTAGE LIGHT WAS ON AGAIN. I INFORMED MY PAX WE WERE RETURNING TO NYG AND QUERIED ATC FOR AN IMMEDIATE CLRNC TO NYG DUE TO A LOW VOLTAGE LIGHT. ATC QUICKLY GAVE ME AN IMMEDIATE AND DIRECT CLRNC -- THE CTLR WAS VERY PROFESSIONAL AND ASKED IF THERE WAS ANYTHING ELSE HE COULD DO. I REPLIED NEGATIVE; BUT VERY MUCH APPRECIATED THE QUESTION. AFTER TURNING; I BEGAN TURNING EVERYTHING OFF THAT I DID NOT NEED TO SAVE PWR. SINCE I WAS INSIDE THE DC ADIZ; I LEFT ON THE XPONDER AND MY #1 RADIO/GPS. MY PAX READ ME THE ELECTRICAL EMER CHKLIST AFTER I STARTED SHEDDING THE ELECTRICAL LOAD. ABOUT THIS TIME I NOTICED THE RADIO WAS SKIPPING ON RECEPTION -- CUTTING IN AND OUT WHILE RECEIVING SIGNALS. ATC QUERIED IF I HAD CHANGED ARPTS AS I HAD FLOWN 10-20 DEGS S OF A DIRECT RTE. I APPRECIATED THAT HE WAS STILL HELPING ME OUT AND SAID I WAS AVOIDING A RESTR AREA W OF THE ARPT. ATC ADVISED I WAS WELL CLR OF THE RESTR AREA; AND CLRED ME DIRECT NYG; DSND TO 2000 FT. I READ BACK THE INSTRUCTIONS; THANKED ATC; AND COMPLIED. AT THAT POINT; I RPTED NYG IN SIGHT; PER ATC INSTRUCTIONS; AND ASKED TO SWITCH TO ADVISORIES.