Help with conditions, and device vs state conditions

Configuration
1

Hello,

I can’t get my time triggered automations to run with conditions. While experimenting, I came across device and state conditions. I’m not sure which I should use, and I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong.

The docs at [1] don’t seem to describe device conditions. Is that somewhere else?

My goal is: if the thermostat has the heat turned on turn the heat down at night.

Controlling the thermostat without a condition works. Running time triggered automation without a condition works. So it’s only the combination that’s a problem.

Here’s the two approaches that I’ve tried.

Device based:

alias: time test device
description: testing time trigger with condition
trigger:
  - platform: time
    at: '12:30'
condition:
  - condition: device
    device_id: 634e0a3a87b5973085df54cd90feaf39
    domain: climate
    entity_id: climate.centralite_pearl_fan_thermostat
    type: is_hvac_mode
    hvac_mode: heat
action:
  - service: notify.email
    data:
      title: test time trigger w/device condition
      message: it worked
mode: single

State based:

alias: time test state
description: testing time trigger with condition
trigger:
  - platform: time
    at: '12:30'
condition:
  - condition: state
    entity_id: climate.centralite_pearl_fan_thermostat
    attribute: hvac_modes
    state: Heat
action:
  - service: notify.email
    data:
      title: test time trigger w/state condition
      message: it worked
mode: single

[1] - https://www.home-assistant.io/docs/scripts/conditions/

2

Hi there I would recommend the state condition but the issue that I am seeing is the attribute. You are using.

hvac_modes should be an attribute that list the available hvac modes with the machine. While hvac_mode should be the one which shows what is the current hvac mode. Also these tend to be case sensitive. Mostly the hvac mode would be shown in small caps. You can check these within the states tab of the developer console. If you need any more help please share the screenshot of the entity from the states tab of the developer console.

3

Try the following (state based):

alias: time test state
description: testing time trigger with condition
trigger:
  - platform: time
    at: "12:30"
condition:
  - condition: template
    value_template: >
      {{ is_state('climate.centralite_pearl_fan_thermostat', 'heat') }}
action:
  - service: notify.email
    data:
      title: test time trigger w/state condition
      message: it worked
mode: single

Also note the double quotes (") around the time-trigger

4

This checks the state of the entity but here we have to check a state attribute so i believe the value template should be like this.

{{ state_attr('climate.centralite_pearl_fan_thermostat', 'hvac_mode') == "heat" }}

But I think it should work for you if you correct the issues with the state condition.

5

For a climate entity:

  • The state indicates which HVAC mode is currently in effect (such as auto, heat, cool, off).
  • The hvac_modes attribute is a list of all the modes supported by your HVAC system (such as auto, heat, cool, off).
  • The hvac_action attribute indicates which HVAC action your system is currently performing (such as idle, heating, cooling).

Screenshot 2021-03-14 220432

If you want to know if the HVAC system is in heat mode:

condition:
  - condition: state
    entity_id: climate.centralite_pearl_fan_thermostat
    state: heat

If you want to know if the HVAC system is currently heating:

condition:
  - condition: state
    entity_id: climate.centralite_pearl_fan_thermostat
    attribute: hvac_action
    state: heating
1 Like
6

For a climate entity:

  • The state indicates which HVAC mode is currently in effect (such as auto, heat, cool, off).
  • The hvac_modes attribute is a list of all the modes supported by your HVAC system (such as auto, heat, cool, off).
  • The hvac_action attribute indicates which HVAC action your system is currently performing (such as idle, heating, cooling).

Thanks, this is exactly what I needed - the state-based condition needs to have the attribute removed, and the capitalization corrected (I had been trying both, but lower works).