Perform action only between sunset and sunset + 2h 30m

Configuration
1

Hi and thank you in advance for reading my post.

I’m somewhat new to Home Assistant, been reading and working with Jinja2 to try and understand the syntax for templating and have what I believe is what I want, but I don’t know how to execute it.

To summarize, I would like for a trigger of someone at my front door (nest detects person) during the hours of sunset and sunset + 2h 30m to perform an action, turn on a night light. Basically, when someone walks up to the front door between these times it enables a light, essentially an overly complicated motion sensor. lol

What I’ve got is some code I’ve tested in the template builder, and it works, but I’m not sure how to connect this up to the automation, or if there is a better way to do this within the automation that doesn’t require this much code?

{% set time_json = {
  "LocalizedTimePlusTwoHours": now() | as_timestamp() + 2.5 * 60 * 60 ,
  "LocalizedTime": now() | as_timestamp() | timestamp_local(),
  "SunsetTime": state_attr("sun.sun","next_setting") | as_timestamp() | timestamp_local()
}
%}


{% if time_json.LocalizedTime > time_json.SunsetTime and time_json_LocalizedTime < time_json.LocalizedTimePlusTwoHours | timestamp_local() %}
 Inside Time window.. do whatever
{%- else -%}
 Outside time window do something else.
{%- endif %}
2

You’ve done the hard bit. You just need to convert the template so that it evaluates to true or false to include it in a condition, like so:

alias: front_door_night_light
trigger:
  platform: state
  entity_id: sensor.your_nest_motion_sensor
  to: on
condition:
  condtition: template
  value_template: >
    {% set time_json = {
      "LocalizedTimePlusTwoHours": now() | as_timestamp() + 2.5 * 60 * 60 ,
      "LocalizedTime": now() | as_timestamp() | timestamp_local(),
      "SunsetTime": state_attr("sun.sun","next_setting") | as_timestamp() | timestamp_local()
    }
    %}

    {{ time_json.LocalizedTime > time_json.SunsetTime and time_json_LocalizedTime < time_json.LocalizedTimePlusTwoHours | timestamp_local() }}
action:
  service: light.turn_on
  entity_id: light.your_light

To turn the light off write an automation triggered by the light being on for x minutes.

1 Like
3

Why not just:

alias: front_door_night_light
trigger:
  platform: state
  entity_id: sensor.your_nest_motion_sensor
  to: 'on'
condition:
  - condition: sun
    after: sunset
  - condition: sun
    before: sunset
    before_offset: '02:30:00'

Note that the second condition can be a bit confusing at first. It means you want it to be true when the time is before a given time, and the given time is sunset plus a positive offset of 2.5 hours. So both conditions taken together mean the time must be after sunset and before 2.5 hours past sunset.

EDIT: Although the docs don’t seem to imply this, looking at the code, I believe this will work as well:

alias: front_door_night_light
trigger:
  platform: state
  entity_id: sensor.your_nest_motion_sensor
  to: 'on'
condition:
  condition: sun
  after: sunset
  before: sunset
  before_offset: '02:30:00'

So, again, after sunset and before sunset + 2.5 hours.

4

Thank you so much for the response. I suppose this is not able to added through the GUI and would require adding it to the automations.yaml file directly. Also is it bad to use the wait service for say 60 seconds and then afterwards call the turn_off service?

5

This looks like an interesting solution, nearly no code needed. Now if I wanted to inverse the logic so only after 2.5hrs after Sunset until sunrise could this be flipped around, it changes the day at 24:00 so I’m wondering if it still works.

6

@pnbruckner’s idea is a better/simpler one.

It’s not bad, but using a separate automation prevents problems if the automation re-triggers while waiting in the delay (if that happens it just skips the delay and moves to turning the light off).

Yes, see here (also read the note about twilight and a better option) Automation Trigger - Home Assistant

1 Like
7

Thank you for the comments and assistance, super appreciate it. I love HA and am trying to master all the features so I can really leverage all it’s abilities

8

Yes, as @tom_l said. It would look like this:

condition:
  condition: or
  conditions:
    - condition: sun
      after: sunset
      after_offset: '02:30:00'
    - condition: sun
      before: sunrise

Not sure why the sun condition can’t do after sunset and before sunrise (meaning the period that spans midnight) like the time condition can. Maybe I’ll try to fix that, er, improve the sun condition. :slight_smile:

1 Like
9

@pnbruckner and @tom_l thank you very much for your assistance.

I’ve implemented both of the sun condition solutions. I’ll check it soon to confirm it’s working and let you know should you be interested. It’s a little busy, but it’s my night light, an announcement of someone at the front door and it works a little differently (stays blue) during my kind of twilight time up to 2 1/2 hours after sunset.

Here is my config…

For daytime only.

  alias: ANNOUNCE - DAYTIME - Someone at Front Door
  trigger:
  - entity_id: binary_sensor.front_door_camera_person_detected
    from: 'off'
    platform: state
    to: 'on'
  condition:
  - after: sunrise
    condition: sun
  - before: sunset
    condition: sun
  action:
  - data:
      message: Nest saw someone at the front door.
      title: Person Detected
    service: persistent_notification.create
  - data:
      entity_id: media_player.great_room_speaker
      message: Nest saw someone at the front door.
    service: tts.google_say
  - timeout: 00:00:10
    wait_template: ''
  - data:
      entity_id: media_player.great_room_speaker
      volume_level: '.7'
    service: media_player.volume_set
  initial_state: true

From sunset to 2 1/2 hours afterward… basically the time when my exterior lights are on.

  alias: ANNOUNCE - NIGHTTIME BEFORE LIGHTS OUT - Someone at Front Door
  trigger:
  - entity_id: binary_sensor.front_door_camera_person_detected
    from: 'off'
    platform: state
    to: 'on'
  condition:
  - after: sunset
    condition: sun
  - before: sunset
    before_offset: +02:30:00
    condition: sun
  action:
  - data:
      entity_id: media_player.great_room_speaker
      message: Nest saw someone at the front door.
    service: tts.google_say
  - data:
      message: Nest saw someone at the front door.
      title: Person Detected
    service: persistent_notification.create
  - data:
      entity_id: media_player.great_room_speaker
      volume_level: '.7'
    service: media_player.volume_set
  - data:
      brightness: '255'
      color_name: WHITE
      entity_id: light.front_porch
      power: 'true'
    service: light.lifx_set_state
  - timeout: 00:00:30
    wait_template: ''
  - data:
      brightness: '30'
      color_name: BLUE
      entity_id: light.front_porch
      power: 'true'
    service: light.lifx_set_state

For nighttime after all exterior lights are off.

  alias: ANNOUNCE - NIGHTTIME AFTER LIGHTS OUT - Someone at Front Door
  trigger:
  - entity_id: binary_sensor.front_door_camera_person_detected
    from: 'off'
    platform: state
    to: 'on'
  condition:
  - after: sunset
    after_offset: +02:30:00
    condition: sun
  - before: sunrise
    condition: sun
  action:
  - data:
      entity_id: media_player.great_room_speaker
      message: Nest saw someone at the front door.
    service: tts.google_say
  - data:
      entity_id: media_player.great_room_speaker
      volume_level: '.7'
    service: media_player.volume_set
  - data:
      message: Nest saw someone at the front door.
      title: Person Detected
    service: persistent_notification.create
  - data:
      brightness: '255'
      color_name: WHITE
      entity_id: light.front_porch
      power: 'true'
    service: light.lifx_set_state
  - timeout: 00:00:30
    wait_template: ''
  - data:
      entity_id: light.front_porch
    service: homeassistant.turn_off
10

So the suggestions I was given for the timespan 2.5 hours after sunset and before sunrise don’t seem to be tiggering.

  alias: ANNOUNCE - NIGHTTIME AFTER LIGHTS OUT - Someone at Front Door
  trigger:
  - entity_id: binary_sensor.front_door_camera_person_detected
    from: 'off'
    platform: state
    to: 'on'
  condition:
  - after: sunset
    after_offset: +02:30:00
    condition: sun
  - before: sunrise
    condition: sun
  action:
  - data:
      entity_id: media_player.great_room_speaker
      message: Nest saw someone at the front door.
    service: tts.google_say

I also tried another condition but no luck, it’s like it’s not detecting the Sunrise tomorrow or the sun below horizon tomorrow, and I tied putting before 06:00 and that doesn’t work either.

 alias: ANNOUNCE - NIGHTTIME AFTER LIGHTS OUT - Someone at Front Door
  trigger:
  - entity_id: binary_sensor.front_door_camera_person_detected
    from: 'off'
    platform: state
    to: 'on'
  condition:
  - after: sunset
    after_offset: +02:30:00
    condition: sun
  - condition: state
    entity_id: sun.sun
    state: below_horizon
  action:
  - data:
      entity_id: media_player.great_room_speaker
      message: Nest saw someone at the front door.
    service: tts.google_say

I would greatly appreciate any help understanding why this doesn’t work.

11

So I tried this config, and it worked, but I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to confirm the other automation before the 2.5 hours after Sunset works.

Why does this work, but the other doesn’t?

{
  "condition": "or",
  "conditions": [
    {
      "after": "sunset",
      "after_offset": "+02:30:00",
      "condition": "sun"
    },
    {
      "before": "sunrise",
      "condition": "sun"
    }
  ]
}
12

Because they are not the same.

This:

  condition:
  - after: sunset
    after_offset: +02:30:00
    condition: sun
  - condition: state
    entity_id: sun.sun
    state: below_horizon

has to be (between sunset+offset and midnight) AND (the sun has to be below the horizon) ie. it wont be true from midnight to sunrise.

Where as this:

  "condition": "or",
  "conditions": [
    {
      "after": "sunset",
      "after_offset": "+02:30:00",
      "condition": "sun"
    },
    {
      "before": "sunrise",
      "condition": "sun"

has to be (between sunset+offset and midnight) OR (between midnight and sunrise) so unlike the first one it will be true between midnight and sunrise.

13

The other problem you likely ran into (or would have run into if the logic was right) is not quoting the offset times. This:

after_offset: +02:30:00

needs to be:

after_offset: '+02:30:00'

or:

after_offset: '02:30:00'

When you entered it in the more JSON-like format you quoted the times, so that’s another thing that was different.

EDIT: … but I’m not 100% sure about this. I know there are cases where not quoting a time can lead to errors, but in some cases you can get by without quotes. I tend to play it safe and always quote times.

1 Like
14

I’m trying my best to use the UI for editing my automations, are you suggesting that in the UI I should add quotes?

15

@tom_l

Thank you for the explanation, the “or” condition seems to work perfect, just wish I could add/edit it in the UI rather than in the yaml file.

Than you very much for your assistant!

16

In this and most cases yes. One exception is numbers, they should not be quoted, e.g. below: 30 If you quote a number it becomes a string.

The UI is an introduction to automation. It can do a lot but not everything. For advanced automation you will need to learn YAML and a bit of Jinja. Like most things it will become second nature if you practice at it. There are plenty of examples in the docs and people here are always willing to help.

Or perhaps you might like NodeRed. I’m not a fan but plenty of people prefer it.

1 Like