So why do it the hard way
Because I was being a moron. First time i've picked this up since last week, I can remember trying to figure it out in each case and directly putting it into "time" but couldn't work the math in my head. Obviously too tired.
Just given it another go and got it in one. You are right, should have avoided the whole situation by directly assigning. I am still curious what I was doing wrong regarding atoi mind. At the beginning of the year I was building c-based trie and hash table data structures, stupid that taking a few off to learn html, php and css leaves me unable to operate the simple stuff ! 
Either way, it is now working, had to change a few things around further down the code but tis all for the better
Thank you