<?php
$in = strtotime("2011-10-02 23:00:00");
$out = strtotime("2011-10-05 23:02:03"); // 72 hours apart
$elapsed = $out - $in;
$hours = floor($elapsed / 3600);
$minutes = floor(($elapsed / 60) % 60);
if (strlen($minutes) == "1") { $minutes = "0".$minutes; } // No single digits
$seconds = $elapsed % 60;
if (strlen($seconds) == "1") { $seconds = "0".$seconds; } // No single digits
$total = $hours.":".$minutes.":".$seconds; // Should be 72:00:00
echo $total
?>