Lights on at Dusk - is this the best/simplest way?

Configuration
21

Hey Will,

Did you fix the turn on lights at dusk? I would really like to be able to automate that.

Thanks!

1 Like
22

I’ve fixed it.

Here’s how I did it


alias: Front Stairs on dusk
description: ''
trigger:
  - platform: state
    entity_id: sun.sun
    attribute: next_dusk
condition: []
action:
  - type: turn_on
    device_id: 9b90ebd0a6d1fe1021f792e438d913c3
    entity_id: light.front_stairs
    domain: light
mode: single
23

Alright,

Actually I tried that today. The lights went on just about 2 hours later than dusk. Do you have any ideas?

24

Have you set your house coordinates correctly in home assistant / configuration / general?

Also check the Timezone just below that setting on the same page … and possibly elevation might play a part in the calculation too

25

Yes,

Checked everything there. All set correctly…

This is what it said today:
next_dusk: ‘2021-09-10T18:19:56.880598+00:00’

Light automation triggered 8:22:54 PM

26

What do you see when you go here in dev tools?

27

Skärmavbild 2021-09-09 kl. 22.11.32
Skärmavbild 2021-09-09 kl. 22.11.321266×788 96.5 KB

28

Ok, Those times are in utc, to convert the time stamp, instead try pasting this in dev tools / template



Next Dusk will be at
{{ as_timestamp(state_attr("sun.sun","next_dusk")) | timestamp_custom('%I:%M:%S %p') }}

image
image1170×2532 302 KB

29

Wow,

That’s interesting. Got this when pasted into dev tools:

Skärmavbild 2021-09-09 kl. 22.15.46
Skärmavbild 2021-09-09 kl. 22.15.46796×448 11.3 KB

30

I’ve updated the code.

Try


Next setting will be at
{{ as_timestamp(state_attr("sun.sun","next_setting")) | timestamp_custom('%I:%M:%S %p') }}

Next Dusk will be at
{{ as_timestamp(state_attr("sun.sun","next_dusk")) | timestamp_custom('%I:%M:%S %p') }}
31 
trigger:
  - platform: state
    entity_id: sun.sun
    attribute: next_dusk

The trigger you have will trigger when the ‘next_dusk’ attribute changes, not at the time the attribute refers to. You need to look at a time trigger or a template trigger.

32

I disagree. This trigger works perfectly for me everyday.

33

I guess it would change when the current ‘next_dusk’ time passes. Fair enough :slight_smile:

1 Like
34

Thats what I figured.

Then I should wait and see what happens tomorrow?

35

Well, is the time of 8:19pm what you expected for dusk or not? I don’t live where you live so I don’t know what is normal where you live.

Did you try the updated template that shows setting and dusk times?

36

I have double checked now.

Dusk where I live is at 20:19.

However. This is what the su.sun attributes says: next_dusk: ‘2021-09-10T18:19:56.880598+00:00’

37

Where I live, there is about 20 mins difference between sunset and dusk

image
image1170×2532 348 KB

38

That’s fine. That time is in utc which ha is fine with

39

The time in the attribute is also in GMT/UTC. What is your offset?

40

This is why I asked you to check your Timezone as this affects the utc conversion