Help turning light on automation

Configuration
1

Can someone tell me why this isn’t working?
It was made in the GUI

- id: '1551890449454'
  alias: Turn On OutSide Light
  trigger:
  - event: sunset
    offset: -00:45:00
    platform: sun
  condition: []
  action:
  - data:
      entity_id: switch.outside_light
    service: switch.turn_on

Ultimately I would like to add only week days like this, but I need to get it working without conditions first

- id: '1551890449454'
  alias: Turn On OutSide Light
  trigger:
  - event: sunset
    offset: -00:45:00
    platform: sun
  condition:
    condition: state
    entity_id: 'binary_sensor.workday_sensor'
    state: 'on'
  action:
  - data:
      entity_id: switch.outside_light
    service: switch.turn_on

Any help would be appreciated.

2

Possibly due to missing quotes for delimiting offset?

Example: Turn on the living room lights 45 minutes before sunset if anyone is at home.

3

It’s possible but the GUI wont even let you enter in the quotes…
hmmm, it might be something else. I just created this for a test and I see in the LogBook that it was triggered but my light didn’t turn on…

- id: '1552536001752'
  alias: LightTest
  trigger:
  - at: 00:01:00
    platform: time
  condition: []
  action:
  - data:
      entity_id: switch.outside_light
    service: switch.turn_on
4

Check the entity_id is correct in dev-tools
Also check that you can turn it on/off in dev tools services

5

I see. In that case, I don’t see anything suspicious in the automation. I would first double-check the automation is enabled and then check if I can turn the switch on/off using the UI or via the Services page.

6

Your offset needs to be in quotes

offset: "-00:45:00"
7

I just tried this automation (based on yours but adapted for my environment) and it worked. You’re right, the Automation Editor doesn’t let you delimit the offset with quotes. I didn’t know that (I normally use a text editor). Using Visual Studio Code editor, I omitted the quotes and the automation triggered as expected (9 hours and 50 minutes before sunset). So, sorry about that, the ‘delimited offset’ was a red herring.

- id: '1551890449454'
  alias: Turn On Light
  trigger:
  - event: sunset
    offset: -09:50:00
    platform: sun
  action:
  - data:
      entity_id: light.kitchen
    service: light.turn_on

I would now focus my attention on ensuring the automation is enabled, then ensure the switch works using the UI and/or the Services page. If it does then the next step would be to confirm the host system’s clock is set correctly.

8

If anyone is following, I figured it out.
As @DavidFW1960 suggested I had the wrong entity.

I forgot that I re-named the devices :man_facepalming:

Thanks for everyone’s help

1 Like
9

No worries. It happens to everyone.

… but we still send you our invoice.

:wink: