MD81 FLT CREW REPORTS THE SMELL OF HOT AVIONICS SHORTLY AFTER LANDING. AFTER PULLING INTO THE GATE; THE FLT CREW IS INFORMED BY THE GROUND CREW THAT 'YOU ARE SMOKING;' AND CFR IS SUMMONED.

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UPON LNDG AT MKE; WE SMELLED A SMELL LIKE VERY WARM AVIONICS; OR POSSIBLY SMOKE. AS A CREW WE BRIEFLY DISCUSSED THE ODOR AND SEARCHED FOR A SOURCE; THE SMELL WAS VERY LIGHT; SO LIGHT THAT WE AGREED THAT IT MUST BE JUST A 'NORMAL' WARM AVIONICS SMELL. UPON ARR AT THE GATE; GND CREW ADVISED US THAT 'WE WERE SMOKING.' THE CAPT COORDINATED WITH THE JETWAY DRIVER AND COMMENCED UNLOADING PEOPLE. I COMMUNICATED WITH THE MAINT COORDINATOR AND GND CREW. MAINT ADVISED SHUTTING DOWN ALL PWR (EXTERIOR; BATTERIES; EMER PWR; AND EMER LIGHTS). THE CAPT HAD ALREADY COMMENCED SHUTTING DOWN THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS AND COMPLIED WITH THE MAINT SUGGESTIONS. DUE TO ELECTRICAL SYS LIMITATIONS; THE FLT ATTENDANTS IN THE BACK COULD NOT BE NOTIFIED AND THE PA WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. PAX WERE UNLOADED WITH NORMAL AMBIENT LIGHT SOURCES AND NO INJURIES WERE NOTED. AFTER PAX WERE UNLOADED; THE CREW INSPECTED THE EXTERIOR ALONG WITH THE MECHS AND DECIDED TO SUMMON CFR AS A PRECAUTION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: MAINTENANCE DISCOVERED AFTER THINGS HAD COOLED THAT THE BATTERY CHARGER HAD FAILED; CAUSING THE SMOKE. WHY THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS DID NOT TRIP AND REMOVE POWER FROM THE BATTERY CHARGER IS UNKNOWN.