Burning points/ condenser help

[griswald]

Ok,
I must be silly...

I have burned (like on fire) 2 condensers/points in the distributor in the last 2 hours...happens as soon as I energize the ignition system...
I forgot (how can that happen after 20 years of owning a land rover) how the wires go off the coil...

I have a negative ground 1971 IIA. Lucas 45d distributor.

From the negative side of the lucas coil, I should plug in the condensor wire? Right?
On the positive side I should plug in the HT lead and the fuel shut off solenoid for the weber carb right?

Then what is my problem? and why am I not blowing fuses instead of smoking components?

Your help is appreciated.
Best,
Griswald

[SafeAirOne]

It might be your terminology, but the positive spade(s) of the coil primary circuit will get the white, 12v feed wire from the ignition switch and the wire going out to the electric fuel pump to energize that (or the carb solenoid in your case).

The negative spade of the coil primary circuit will go out to the points (and thereby the condensor).

The high-tension (secondary circuit) lead will be the fat wire going from the center of the coil to the center of the distributor cap.

There are no fuses at all in the primary circuit (or secondary circuit, for that matter) to the coil. It is fed directly from the ignition switch to the coil. The engineers had great confidence that the Rover electrical systems were the finest in the world and opted not to needlessly protect too many of the circuits.

Are you sure the phenolic and/or plastic insulating washers are in the correct place so that the primary circuit isn't shorting out to ground in the area of the points? I wouldn't think that'd be a problem, since the points are nothing more than a ground for the circuit anyway, but you never know.

[I Leak Oil]

Check the voltage going into the coil. Also, make sure the distributor points and condenser grounds are all good. Could be a bad coil too.

[griswald]

Thanks for your help, I will double check everything and get back to the board.

[Dietersrover]

You may know this, but the coil needs to be 3 ohms.

[LaneRover]

Points also aren't what they used to be . . .

[jonnyc]

Put in a Crane Electronic unit and forget about points and condenser for ever.