That's a really good solution, microcontrollers are fun and all but it couldn't have been this simple. The IO pins are bad for power, usually they can source or sink a bit of power, but if you push it the chip goes pop. This would need the microcontroller to control a mosfet, and either that mosfet controls DC LEDs or a relay to control these LED modules. So now you'd've'd the microcontroller, 3 mosfets and 3 relays, plus some capacitors to make them chill, and a DC converter that can drive the LEDs; or worse the microcontroller and an addressable LED strip with far more complicated code requirements and probably a rebuilt light tower. I think you've got strictly the simplest and most straightforward way to do this.

You have invented ladder relay logic; the precursor to the modern PLC industrial controller.

This is a very cool project for sure. Always love to see any device like this, especially if you can pull it off without a microcontroller. :)

Actually the idea of having a private/unlisted video on KZfaq that just changes colour from green to orange to red seems quite ingenious in itself.

Your timed light tower is a pretty clever solution. You described how you made/wired the thing pretty darn well in my opinion. I went through schooling for electrical wiring for commercial, residential, and industrial wiring. Making things do different stuff with relays and timers is pretty fun. I have designed and built up many control boxes over the years using both just relays and some sort of PLC controller. Back in the day using older computers you had the tower, monitor, and printer to turn on. I ran 120 volts through 12 coiled relays to outlets on back of the tower so when you turned the tower on it turned the monitor and printer on at the push of 1 button. Why did I do this.....because I could LOL. Remember once pc I built I put a battery backup inside the tower with everything else....again because I could. Thanks for sharing a pretty darn good solution to your recording limit issue.

I have seen a similar concept for therapists, so they can wrap up their sessions on time without too much clockwatching or having an intrusive alarm

Clever solution to a stupid and obscure limitation on digital cameras... reason why I use camcorders now. And also, camcorders have IR remotes.

These timers are used for public hearings where a speaker has a certain time to speak an orange light for 30 second warning and red for stop speaking

Great video, as always

I did a 555-timer set / relay combos for a traditional traffic light back in 1992. The Omron relays look even slicker. Will have to check these out. Thanks.

Very cleaver!

I love it! I hate fussing with microcontrollers. Would like to get the part number for those dial relays those are cool little devices I can think of a bunch of cool things I could do with them.

Would have been funny if the cameras shut off in the middle of you explaining how the timer works 🤣

Very cool solution! I've been looking at similar devices, though for completely different reasons, and came across some marketed as either debate timers, speech timers, or visual timers. I'm not at all thrilled with the apparent low quality of affordable options and not willing to spend the going rates of more robust ones. (I'm a cheap guy, maybe they're appropriately priced, I'll never know 😂) I think I'm going to "borrow" some of your design and see what I can do. Thanks for sharing your work!

Did your cue card person fall asleep at the wheel again?

You could research using SMPTE timecode, a countdown timer, and your three-lamp solution.

Yes. very interesting. You just need it to work. I can see why you would go old school with it. It. Im not a programmer, but I just wing it with most of my projects. Im more of a hardware guy then a software guy, but I clumsily get my projects done. I might try to make a mcu and addressable leds..

Got here first!

in some places it's against the code to solder high voltage ac connections