Wally, I had a total electrical failure in a C210. Didn't spot it until the battery was dead. I rang the Briefing Office on my mobile phone to ask if they could arrange for someone on the ground to take a look at the nose wheel after I pumped the gear down.
"Do you wish to declare an emergency", they asked. "No", said I. "Well, we will call the police and firies anyway", said they.
So I arrived over Gladstone and could see flashing lights everywhere below me.
When I pulled the power back to slow down prior to pumping the gear down, the torque change moved the engine slightly and the loose alternator wire reconnected. I got all my electrics back - dropped the gear normally, three greens, flaps down - totally uneventful landing.
Dr 