Setting a Timestamp device class

Configuration
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#1

Hi All

We have scheduled rolling blackouts where I live. We have access to a nice app (with an API) that communicates the next scheduled blackout. Although the API communicates this as an attribute, I managed (as a noob) to extract this into its own sensor.

However, this sensor is not a time class sensor, so it cannot be use as a trigger in the classic time sense. For example, I would like to automate some tasks 1 hour before this scheduled blackout time.

My current yaml configuration to get the sensor is as follows:

# Create Loadshedding sensors
- platform: template
  sensors:

# Strip next loadshedding start time from Loadshedding Schedule - this returns hh:mm:ss dd:mm:yyy
    loadshedding_local_starttime:
      unique_id: "loadshedding_local_starttime"
      friendly_name: "Loadshedding Attribute: Next Start Time"
      value_template: "{{ state_attr('calendar.loadshedding_local_schedule','start_time') }}"

# Getting Time Only from next load shedding event - this returns hh:mm:ss
    loadshedding_local_starttime_next:
      unique_id: "loadshedding_local_starttime_next"
      friendly_name: "Loadshedding Attribute: Next Start Time (Time Only)"
      value_template: >-
        {% set time = states('sensor.loadshedding_local_starttime') %}
        {% set ftime = as_timestamp(time)|timestamp_custom('%H:%M:%S') %}
        {{ ftime }}

The above is successful and returns a state for example
sensor.loadshedding_local_starttime_next = 22:00:00

I am trying to make this sensor a timestamp device class.

Please help?

My current effort looks as follows:

- platform: template
  sensors:

# Create Loadshedding sensors in timestamp class
     loadshedding_next_timeformat:
       device_class: timestamp
       unique_id: "loadshedding_next_timeformat"
       friendly_name: "Loadshedding Attribute: Next Start Time (Time Format)"
       value_template: "{{ states('sensor.loadshedding_local_starttime') }}"

But although the yaml compiles without problem, this returns an unkown value. I suspect that the template platform does not allow timestamp device class, but I have no idea how to change.

Thanks

#2

If you create a Template Sensor whose device_class is timestamp, its state value must be a date and time in ISO format.

Screenshot_20230427-182641~2
Screenshot_20230427-182641~21359×326 31 KB

For example:

       value_template: "{{ today_at(states('sensor.loadshedding_local_starttime')).isoformat() }}"
#4

Hi

Using

value_template: "{{ today_at(states('sensor.loadshedding_local_starttime')).isoformat() }}"

In the template editor gives me the following error message

ValueError: could not convert str to datetime: ‘2023-04-29 12:00:00’

#5

@daniemare I suspect I know which country you’re in. Based on the work of others, here is my complete package. I ran into some problems too with the datetimes.


  - platform: template
    sensors:
      loadshedding_start_time:
        friendly_name: Loadshedding Start Time
        device_class: timestamp
        value_template: >-
          {% if states('sensor.eskomsepush')
                and state_attr('sensor.eskomsepush', 'events') != []
                and 'start' in (state_attr('sensor.eskomsepush', 'events') | first) %}
            {{ (state_attr('sensor.eskomsepush', 'events') | first).start }}
          {% else %}
            {{ 0 | as_datetime }}
          {% endif %}
#6

My mistake; I thought the sensor’s value was simply time but it’s actually date and time (which doesn’t work with today_at).

I suggest you use as_datetime, to convert the datetime string to a datetime object, then as_local, to provide the datetime object with your local timezone, and finally present the value in ISO format using the datetime object’s isoformat() method.

value_template: "{{ (states('sensor.loadshedding_local_starttime') | as_datetime | as_local).isoformat() }}"
1 Like
#7

How did you guys :wink:

Thanks, I will have a look