Group switch turn on , difficulty

1

Trying to do simple group automation switch turn on. Using a group so as not to turn on all switches.
currently have 4 switches only want 3 to turn on. so made a group with only those 3 in it. Yet when calling in automation it turns on all. Soon will be adding a motorized ball valve to control water to a stock tank. This valve will controlled by a switch. Applying power to valve opens water flow , no power no flow. I do not want this to turn on unless specifically called.

here is automation file

  • id: ‘1555551462981’
    alias: Night Lights On
    trigger:
    • event: sunset
      offset: -00:15:00
      platform: sun
      condition:
    • condition: state
      entity_id: group.night_lights
      state: home
      action:
    • service: switch.turn_on
  • id: ‘1555551692314’
    alias: Night Lights Out
    trigger:
    • at: ‘22:30:00’
      platform: time
      condition: []
      action:
    • service: switch.turn_off

here is group file:
night_lights:
name: Night Lights
entities:
- switch.driveway
- switch.ext_house
- switch.barn_exterior

ive messed with this till my head hurts. cant see any reason not working correctly.

a pointer or two would be very helpful.
thanks.

2

First of all, you need to format the code section properly - as you’re new to this you should still have the blue bar at the top explaining how to do that.

In case you switched it off already, try this:
HomeAss_CodeMarking_From%40finity

Without it, it’s hard to get to the bottom of it.

Nevertheless, I’m surprised that anything turns on, actually.
The reason is that you seem to call a service (service: switch.turn_on) without defining which entity you actually want to turn on or off.
This would notmally be something like:

action:
  - service: switch.turn_on
    entity_id: switch.driveway

Or, if you want to use a group:

action:
  - service: switch.turn_off
    entity_id: group.night_lights
3
  • id: ‘1555551462981’
    alias: Night Lights On
    trigger:
  • event: sunset
    offset: -00:15:00
    platform: sun
    condition:
  • condition: state
    entity_id: group.night_lights
    state: home
    action:
  • service: switch.turn_on
  • id: ‘1555551692314’
    alias: Night Lights Out
    trigger:
    • at: ‘22:30:00’
      platform: time
      condition: []
      action:
    • service: switch.turn_off

Ive have tried following the format of entity_id after service call, but errors.
I have followed many hassio links regarding switches ,groups, automations . scripts. arrgghh. lol.

4 
- id: '1555551462981'
  alias: Night Lights On
  trigger:
  - event: sunset
    offset: -00:15:00
    platform: sun
  condition:
  - condition: state
    entity_id: group.night_lights
    state: home
  action:
  - service: switch.turn_on
- id: '1555551692314'
  alias: Night Lights Out
  trigger:
  - at: '22:30:00'
    platform: time
  condition: []
  action:
  - service: switch.turn_off
5

sorry little slow to figure that out.

6

Yes your suggestion worked. I didnt have condition and state in previous code. But all is working now.
Feel alot more confident now about wiring in water valve.
Thanks

1 Like
7

Regarding this condition:

  - condition: state
    entity_id: group.night_lights
    state: home

When can a group, consisting of three switches, have a state that’s home?

Go to Home Assistant’s States page and locate group.night_lights. I’m pretty sure its state will be either on or off.