Action based on "last seen" sensor

Configuration
1

Came here for help. I am trying to refresh values on my Fibaro modules (Shutter 2). They do not update when you manually change position/tilt. I know there is blueprint out there to do that based on power threshold, however when you just manipulate tilt shortly, power does not get updated that fast. What does update is a binary sensor that is in UI seen as “XX seconds ago”
Example:

{{states('sensor.office_blinds_last_seen')}}

renders to

2024-09-05T19:19:55+00:00

I tried the following:

{{ now() - states('sensor.office_blinds_last_seen')|as_datetime < timedelta(seconds=3)}}

My problem is that while sensor updates with actual time, and initially my template will render from false to true, it won’t update immediately after those 3 seconds back to false, but only after around 40 seconds or so. That means if I manipulate tilt multiple times, automation does not know about it since it renders “true” for about those 40 seconds. Only then it renders false. This may be some limitation of now(). Is there a better way to achieve what I want? I basically want to run action when “last seen” sensor updates.

2

if i recall, i think template triggers are evaluated every minute, not every second.

so perhaps a solution for you to try is to trigger on state of sensor.office_blinds_last_seen. don’t use a trigger, use state condition trigger.

then set the condition to be

{{ now() - states('sensor.office_blinds_last_seen')|as_datetime < timedelta(seconds=3)}}

although i’m not sure i fully understand why you need to have the condition at all if you’re triggering on the sensor last seen state change… maybe i’m not understanding part of the context…

3

If “last seen” is being updated, then the device is reporting something, as that’s how the sensor is updated. Do you know what it actually is reporting?

I basically want to run action when “last seen” sensor updates.

I think a plain state trigger with the sensor.office_blinds_last_seen entity should work:

automation:
  trigger:
    - platform: state
      entity_id: sensor.office_blinds_last_seen

Might want a not_from: unavailable in there if you don’t want it to trigger if Z-Wave JS restarts.

4

Thank you both. I totally forgot about simple state change.
I am using blinds in venetian mode, and like I said, if you just short press buttons to adjust tilt, it won’t update the tilt position. It updates position though. Obviously this is known thing and majority would use power threshold to update.
But there are simple use cases where it isn’t enough. I come to room with blinds fully down, but tilt open. I hit the switch to close it (takes about 1 second maybe to close it, or partially close it). This won’t update tilt position so HA still shows me blinds are open. No big deal, but sometimes I would like to know.
I will implement state change and see how often they update, so that I don’t flood my network with unnecessary updates.
Again, thank you both!

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