Automation help (again)

Configuration
1

This time I’m trying to automate the exhaust fan in my bathroom, such that it comes on above 65% humidity and goes off again when the humidity drops below 60% and also if someone manually turned it on after five minutes. I’ve stared at this thing until I’m cross-eyed and stupid and can’t see why it doesn’t work. Please, some input?

- id: '4685773456356'
  alias: Auto bathroom fan shutoff
  trigger:
    - platform: template
      value_template: "{% if states.sensor.vision_zp3111_multisensor_4in1_relative_humidity.state | float < 60.0 %}true{% endif %}"
    - platform: state
      entity_id: switch.ge_45609_onoff_relay_switch_switch_3
      to: 'on'
      for:
        minutes: 5
  condition:
    condition: and
    conditions:
      - condition: template
        value_template: "{% if states.sensor.vision_zp3111_multisensor_4in1_relative_humidity.state | float < 60.0 %}true{% endif %}"
      - condition: state
        entity_id: switch.ge_45609_onoff_relay_switch_switch_3
        state: 'on'
        for:
          minutes: 5
  action:
  - service: switch.turn_off
    entity_id: switch.ge_45609_onoff_relay_switch_switch_3

- id: '2345677453356'
  alias: Auto bathroom fan
  trigger:
    - platform: template
      value_template: "{% if states.sensor.vision_zp3111_multisensor_4in1_relative_humidity.state | float > 65.0 %}true{% endif %}"
  action:
  - entity_id: switch.ge_45609_onoff_relay_switch_switch_3
    service: switch.turn_on
2

What exactly is it doing now?

Right now it looks like it will turn on at 65% then 5 minutes later it will turn back off, but only if the humidity is below 60% at 5 minute mark.

or if turned on manually, it will turn off in 5 minutes but only if the humidity is below 60% at that moment.

I think…:thinking:

but I don’t think that’s what you want.

3

What it does right now is nothing whatsoever, which is what’s baffling me. I even validated the template and it comes back ‘true’ even as I watch the humidity go over 65% and the fan stay off. It’s like HA isn’t even bothering to run it.

What you describe is exactly what I want; I figure there are two reasons for the fan, getting rid of humidity from a shower and getting rid of bad odors. In the case of a shower, it comes on above 65%RH and turns off again below 60%. Perfect. But if I go in there after a Taco Bell binge, I’d turn it on manually expecting that it’ll shut off again five minutes later. If the humidity is above 60% it’ll just trigger again when it drops below that and shut off then.

4

This only has a value when humidity is less than 60. When humidity is 60 or more it has no value. That’s not good. You should rather do this:

    - platform: template
      value_template: "{{ states('sensor.vision_zp3111_multisensor_4in1_relative_humidity') | float < 60.0 }}"

Further, you should probably use a numeric_state trigger instead:

    - platform: numeric_state
      entity_id: sensor.vision_zp3111_multisensor_4in1_relative_humidity
      below: 60

The same thing goes for the condition, and the trigger in the second automation.

Next I’d recommend removing the second condition in the first automation.

So, altogether, I think this might work better for you:

- id: '4685773456356'
  alias: Auto bathroom fan shutoff
  trigger:
    - platform: numeric_state
      entity_id: sensor.vision_zp3111_multisensor_4in1_relative_humidity
      below: 60
    - platform: state
      entity_id: switch.ge_45609_onoff_relay_switch_switch_3
      to: 'on'
      for:
        minutes: 5
  condition:
    - condition: numeric_state
      entity_id: sensor.vision_zp3111_multisensor_4in1_relative_humidity
      below: 60
    - condition: state
      entity_id: switch.ge_45609_onoff_relay_switch_switch_3
      state: 'on'
      for:
        minutes: 5
  action:
  - service: switch.turn_off
    entity_id: switch.ge_45609_onoff_relay_switch_switch_3

- id: '2345677453356'
  alias: Auto bathroom fan
  trigger:
    - platform: numeric_state
      entity_id: sensor.vision_zp3111_multisensor_4in1_relative_humidity
      above: 65
  action:
  - entity_id: switch.ge_45609_onoff_relay_switch_switch_3
    service: switch.turn_on
5

Thank you! I’d played with it quite a bit and finally come to the conclusion it was spitting out a string rather than a float, and that was why my numeric_state version wasn’t doing anything. I figured the template would work no matter what and so used that. Which is extra weird because HA properly graphs humidity over time, and I’d think it wouldn’t be able to do that if it were actually a string (unless HA converts strings to numeric data for graphing?)

I do kind of want to retain the five minutes condition, since there’s an edge case where I stink up the place while the humidity is only slightly above the threshold; this would result in the fan getting the humidity down, but not the smell. I can run this and if it works, maybe try adding that condition back…kind of reduce the number of possible failure points.

6

So all entity states are strings, even if they look like something else (like a number.) But the numeric_state trigger will convert the state (and the values provided for above: or below:) to floats, which is why it works.

Yes, definitely add the other condition back in. Not sure what I was thinking when I suggested taking it out. It makes perfect sense for the automation to have both conditions. (I’ll edit the reply above accordingly.)