Is it posible to have 'Boost' in generic_thermostat?

[bedfellow]

Is it possible to have a ‘Boost’ preset in generic_thermostat, whereby it will set the heating to +0.5°C above the set temperature for 1 hour? If not possible as a preset in configuration, maybe it could be done in automations?

My current configurations is below and has a target temperature, however I would prefer that the boost is +0.5°C of the current set temperature, rather than the target temperature:

climate:
  - platform: generic_thermostat
    name: "Thermostat"
    heater: switch.lounge_heater
    target_sensor: sensor.average_temp
    min_temp: 10
    max_temp: 24
    ac_mode: false
    target_temp: 19.0
    cold_tolerance: 0.2
    hot_tolerance: 0.1
    precision: 0.1
    keep_alive:
      minutes: 3    
    away_temp: 11

[tom_l]

Two automations and an input boolean should do it.

Create a ‘Boost’ input boolean.

First Automation:
Trigger on the Boost input boolean turning on.
Store the current climate scene
Set the temp +0.5°C

Second Automation:
Trigger on the boost input boolean being on for xx minutes.
Restore the previous climate scene
Turn off the Boost input boolean.

See here for creating and restoring scenes:

How to turn a scene off? No scene.turn_off

I’m pleased to report that it works. With some pre-planning, it’s possible to store entity states as a new (temporary) scene and then restore it afterwards (but before the next restart because temporary scenes don’t survive a restart). Here’s the test. I’m using an input_boolean to trigger the automations just for convenience’s sake. - alias: test1 trigger: platform: state entity_id: input_boolean.toggler to: 'on' action: service: scene.create data_template: scene…

You could even use an input number for the xx minutes in the second automation if you want it to be variable. for: in the trigger is templatable.

e.g.

  trigger:
  - platform: state
    entity_id: input_boolean.boost
    to: 'on'
    for:
      minutes: "{{ states('input_number.boost_time')|int }}"

[bedfellow]

I’m currently already using climate scenes for my heating:

- id: '1576697224'
  alias: Thermostat - We're Not Home - Retain Settings
  description: ''
  trigger:
  - entity_id: group.parents
    platform: state
    to: not_home
  condition: []
  action:
  - service: scene.create
    data:
      scene_id: before_leaving
      snapshot_entities:
      - climate.thermostat
  - data:
      entity_id: climate.thermostat
      preset_mode: away
    service: climate.set_preset_mode
- id: '1576697243'
  alias: Thermostat - We're Home - Recall Settings
  description: ''
  trigger:
  - entity_id: group.parents
    platform: state
    to: home
  condition: []
  action:
  - service: scene.turn_on
    data:
      entity_id: scene.before_leaving

[tom_l]

Neat. Just create a boost scene and automate it as above then.

[bedfellow]

How would I trigger it though?

[tom_l]

If calling it manually:
First Automation:
Trigger on the Boost input boolean turning on.

Second Automation:
Trigger on the boost input boolean being on for xx minutes.

If you want it to happen automatically, you could trigger on a template that looks at the set temp and the current temp. e.g. if there is a large difference even though the heat has been on for xx minutes.

[bedfellow]

Thanks, I’ll need to do some reading up on input_boolean, as I currently dont use it.

[tom_l]

It’s pretty simple. Looks like a switch in your front end.

input_boolean:
  boost:
    name: Boost
    icon: mdi:thermometer

[bedfellow]

Any chance anyone could show me what this would look like in automation.yaml? I know how to store the scene, but not sure how to add the boost value.

[tom_l]

Use the set temperature service. Like this I think (I don’t use the climate integration):

    - service: climate.set_temperature
      data_template:
        entity_id: climate.thermostat
        temperature: "{{ state_attr('climate.thermostat', 'temperature')|float + 0.5 }}"

[bedfellow]

I’ve not tried validating it yet, but does this look right?

  alias: Turn on boost 
  trigger:
  - platform: state
    entity_id: input_boolean.boost
    to: 'on'
    for:
      minutes: "{{ states('input_number.boost_time')|int }}"
  action:
  - service: scene.create
    data:
      scene_id: before_boost
      snapshot_entities:
      - climate.thermostat
  - data:
      entity_id: climate.thermostat
  - service: climate.set_temperature
    data_template:
      entity_id: climate.thermostat
      temperature: "{{ state_attr('climate.thermostat', 'temperature')|float + 0.5 }}"

  alias: Turn off boost
  trigger:
  - platform: state
    entity_id: input_boolean.boost
    to: 'off'
    action:
  - service: scene.turn_off
    data:
      entity_id: scene.before_boost

[tom_l]

Only if you want the boost to turn on after a delay of xx minutes. If you were aiming to have the boost “be on for xx minutes” you need to move the for: template to the other automation.

Also you need to turn the scene before_boost on in the second automation, not off.

Also, also there was a stray data with no service, only an entity id. I deleted it.

Also I fixed the triggers required for the second automation. One to revert the scene if the input boolean is turned off manually, one for the xx minute time out.

And finally I added the service to turn the input boolean off in the case of a time out. You could put a condition in there to only turn it off if it is on but turning it off if it is off already (i.e. manual boost cancel) does not hurt.

  alias: Turn on boost 
  trigger:
  - platform: state
    entity_id: input_boolean.boost
    to: 'on'
  action:
  - service: scene.create
    data:
      scene_id: before_boost
      snapshot_entities:
      - climate.thermostat
  - service: climate.set_temperature
    data_template:
      entity_id: climate.thermostat
      temperature: "{{ state_attr('climate.thermostat', 'temperature')|float + 0.5 }}"

  alias: Turn off boost
  trigger:
  - platform: state # manual cancel
    entity_id: input_boolean.boost
    to: 'off'
  - platform: state # time out
    entity_id: input_boolean.boost
    to: 'on'
    for:
      minutes: "{{ states('input_number.boost_time')|int }}"
    action:
  - service: scene.turn_on
    data:
      entity_id: scene.before_boost
  - service: input_boolean.turn_off # for the time out trigger case.
     entity_id: input_boolean.boost

[bedfellow]

tom_l, I made a bit of a mess of it then

Thanks for all your help on this, much appreciated.

[bedfellow]

I have it primarily working thanks to tom_l’s code above, but have a couple of questions. When I add it to the frontend as an entity, I get two buttons (or switches), but I have to press them and then press trigger to get it to action. Is there a way to just have the trigger in the frontend?

Also, how/where do I set the duration of the boost?

[tom_l]

You have added the automations to the front end. Remove them ( make sure they are on first) and just add the boost input boolean. This is your trigger.

[bedfellow]

There is nothing of this name to add.

[tom_l]

Did you not add this?

input_boolean:
  boost:
    name: Boost
    icon: mdi:thermometer

[bedfellow]

@tom_l

input_boolean: boost: name: Boost icon: mdi:thermometer

No, where do I add that to? Sorry, but I’ve never used input boolean in HA

[tom_l]

In configuration.yaml.

[bedfellow]

Thanks. I now have this in configuration.yaml, which gives me a switch and a slider for setting on time in the frontend:

input_boolean:
  boost:
    name: Boost
    icon: mdi:thermometer
    
input_number:
  boost_time:
    name: Boost Time (mins)
    initial: 30
    min: 10
    max: 60
    step: 1