RELAY CLOCK

This is a digital clock I built over a period of some 8 months. The digits are controlled by 3 ten-stage ring counters, one each for the seconds, minutes and hours.
No electronic parts have been used in any part of the display logic; all of the control functions are undertaken by small 12 volt relays and diodes.
The timing for the clock is derived from the 50Hz mains frequency so will always remain very accurate.
I decided to build the clock in such a way as to make visible all of the component parts and their interconnecting wiring which can be viewed through the glazed front cover.
A control panel allows the user to synchronise the clock’s display to the current time by advancing each ring counter rapidly or slowly step-by-step. A switch is also provided to change the logic of the hours display from a 12 to a 24 hour mode.
The many LEDs on all parts of the circuitry give the user an indication of the progress of the systems logic as the clock calculates the time to display.
Many thanks to TH-camr David Skirmont for showing me what’s possible with his version of a relay clock.

[@rmkilc]

The amount of time and thought to make this is mind blowing.

[@lordrot20]

Very amazing build.

[@wdavem]

Beautiful!!!!! Those diode network driven displays are so nice. No multiplex flicker here!!! Those incrementing relay chains remind me very much of what I discovered by messing around with alternating polarity so every other relay was positive triggered, the others negative, using a two phase clock. When it turned out these chains can also work as shift registers, my brain exploded. So I had to build it out and yes they do work as shift registers that can have a mode where they split into multiple chains of 10 that do base 10 counting (or other bases as you have here). Far too interesting.
I bought a bunch of diodes 20 years ago for continuing my project, I have three old elevator controllers. However 300 relays isn't enough to do what I wanted so my project died (though I still have everything). I love seeing videos like yours because you have a complete device with good controls and features, with very nice indicators. I'm still working out a purpose I can build something for, I know something will show up and I'll dive in. I want to do some kind of controller that has some storage, takes data entry and has I/O control of something else, with a good, functional and fast control/indicator panel.

[@PeterBurton50]

What a brilliant comment. Thank you so much.

[@mikelusmc412]

Absolutely amazing, i dont think people really understand the time it takes to do a job that tedious and detail oriented. Everything is perfectly laid out and very uniform. Im extremely impressed!

[@RelayComputer]

Wow, fantastic development, I like it very much !! The diode matrix is epic !

[@M0GLU]

Fantastic job!

[@mheermance]

Really nice job.

[@PeterBurton50]

Many thanks for everyone’s comments.

[@fernandoguimaraes5402]

Fantastic job! Congratulations

[@georgeniculescu]

wow! not a single IC in sight!

[@spg3331]

amazing video sir!

[@kwacz]

been wanting to build something sililar but different. Having a hard time getting the ring counter to work properly. I dont think its wired right. Do you have any schematics of how to set up the ring counter nd have it reset?

[@PeterBurton50]

@@kwacz Hello. If you watch the video to the end, all the schematics are there. Pause the video on each page and take a photo then you’ll have everything I have.

[@kwacz]

​@@PeterBurton50thanks for the reply. I thought it was just a demonstration of what you made because usually that's what I find on youtube. Unfortunately I stopped it literally about 1 second before one of your first schematics. I just watched the entire video again and you do have a wealth of information. Thank you.

[@kwacz]

Still cant get the thing to count. Basically I am trying to make a clock where each time the pendulum swings it activates a reed switch and the reed switch will advance the ring counter. I don't really understand how to read the diagrams you provided. Its not making sense to me. I cant seem to make any kind of relay based counter without a single pulse from the pendulum causing intense relay chattering and not actually counting.
can you make a video showing in detail how to go about making a ring counter that will advance once with each contact closure of the reed switch? If i can get this part to work I can figure out the rest.

[@PeterBurton50]

@@kwacz my diagrams clearly show that the ring counters are advanced by means of a 2-phase clock. This can be formed by a break-before-make double-throw relay contact fed from your reed switch. By the way, I’ve not had much success with reed switches as they tend to fail after a time. I would rather use Hall-effect sensors.

[@kwacz]

@@PeterBurton50 I built the schematic labeled ring counters rear of diff socket wiring. The only way I can get it to count is to apply B+ to both clock bus lines then apply B+ to the input labeled --< at relay 0a. Then all relays close. Then by removing and reapplying B+ to each clock line alternating them as i go it will open one relay at a time. There must always be B+ on one of the two clock lines at any given time or all relays open and I loose count.
As long as I remove momentarily B+ from one clock line in an alternating manner (one line then the other) will it count.
I thought that only 2 relays were supposed to be pulled in at any given time and that they would move down the line but I cant get it to work that way.
What am I doing wrong??