Smart Plug Automation

mills · May 16, 2025, 4:17am

I am new to Home assistant and I am migrating from using grid connect devices to Zigbee devices in Home assistant.
I have bought 2 Zigbee smart plugs to control garden fairy lights and spot lights and I am trying to write an automation to turn the lights on run for a specified time and turn off . I can get the lights to turn on but when i have the turn request in the automation they turn on and off .
Is there a simple automation out there to help me get started.
Thanking you in anticipation.
Graham

tom_l · May 16, 2025, 4:40am

On automation

triggers:
  - platform: time
    at: "18:00"
actions:
  - action: switch.turn_on
    target:
      entity_id: 
        - switch.fairy_lights
        - switch.spot_lights

Of autaomtion

triggers:
  - platform: time
    at: "23:30"
actions:
  - action: switch.turn_off
    target:
      entity_id: 
        - switch.fairy_lights
        - switch.spot_lights

Alternative on automation trigger:

    - trigger: sun
      event: sunset
      offset: "00:30:00" # 30 minutes after sunset (optional)

More:

and if you want to make it conditional on something else:

Krivatri · May 16, 2025, 4:46am

alias: fairy lights
description: "turn fairy lights on at 20:00 and off at 06:00"
triggers:
  - trigger: time
    at: "20:00:00"
    id: Lights on
  - trigger: time
    at: "06:00:00"
    id: Lights off
conditions: []
actions:
  - choose:
      - conditions:
          - condition: trigger
            id:
              - Lights on
        sequence:
          - action: switch.turn_on
            target:
              entity_id: switch.zigbee_fairy_lights
            data: {}
      - conditions:
          - condition: trigger
            id:
              - Lights off
        sequence:
          - action: switch.turn_off
            target:
              entity_id: switch.zigbee_fairy_lights
            data: {}
mode: single

mills · May 16, 2025, 7:16am

Thanks Tom for your response.
I have processed the automation the switch turns on and off immeadiately.
I dont know if I have a faulty switch.

mills · May 16, 2025, 7:25am

Thanks Krivatri for your response.
I have processed the automation the switch turns on and off immeadiately.
I dont know if I have a faulty switch.
[/Thanks Tom for your response.
I have processed the automation the switch turns on and off immeadiately.
I dont know if I have a faulty switch.]

Krivatri · May 16, 2025, 8:13am

ok, strange.
you could try to make a helper switch and replace the switch.zigbee part in your automation with the helper switch for debugging.
also if it’s possible to provide your code so we can check for bugs?
how did you wire your zigbee? do you have a schematic?

mills · May 16, 2025, 10:38am

Thanks Krivatri for your response.
The plugs were purchased from amazon.
They will work if I disable half the program.
They can turn on if the off commands are disabled.
They can turn if if I have manually turned on the plug disabled the on command and execute the off command.
How do I copy my automation to share with you.

Krivatri · May 16, 2025, 10:46am

copy the yaml code from your automation and paste in your reply between the dots, example below.

you can find the code as follows:

mills · May 16, 2025, 8:35pm

alias: Smart plug automation
description: “”
triggers:

trigger: time
at: “17:09:00”
trigger: time
at: “17:15:00”
conditions:
actions:
action: switch.turn_on
metadata: {}
data: {}
target:
device_id: 7e6c915d70c829234a83d55993b3bbc0
action: switch.turn_off
metadata: {}
data: {}
target:
device_id: 7e6c915d70c829234a83d55993b3bbc0
mode: single

Krivatri · May 17, 2025, 4:38am

ok, your code is wrong.
your smart plug will turn on and off at 17:09 and same at 17:15.
you need to give each trigger an id and then use the id in your action.

your code should be like this:

alias: Smart plug automation
description: ""
triggers:
  - trigger: time
    at: "17:09:00"
    id: Lights on
  - trigger: time
    at: "17:15:00"
    id: Lights off
conditions: []
actions:
  - choose:
      - conditions:
          - condition: trigger
            id:
              - Lights on
        sequence:
          - action: switch.turn_on
            target:
              device_id: 7e6c915d70c829234a83d55993b3bbc0
            data: {}
      - conditions:
          - condition: trigger
            id:
              - Lights off
        sequence:
          - action: switch.turn_off
            target:
              device_id: 7e6c915d70c829234a83d55993b3bbc0
            data: {}
mode: single

francisp · May 17, 2025, 4:47am

f6be36681e0da431418ec7781fb6c62712941803

And see Krivatri’s answer.

mills · May 17, 2025, 5:44am

Thanks Krivatri for your assistance
Still having issues I have uploaded my latest version
alias: New automation
description: “”
triggers:

trigger: time
at: “15:36:00”
id: Switch On
trigger: time
at: “13:38:00”
id: Switch Off
conditions:
condition: trigger
id:
- Switch On
condition: trigger
id:
- Switch Off
  actions:
action: switch.turn_on
metadata: {}
data: {}
target:
device_id: 9fd4faff70d4e83916907f1c67ec16f4
action: switch.turn_off
metadata: {}
data: {}
target:
device_id: 9fd4faff70d4e83916907f1c67ec16f4
mode: single

francisp · May 17, 2025, 5:45am

Please format your code correct. See example above.

Krivatri · May 17, 2025, 5:58am

that won’t work either, please replace your automation code with mine and start from there.

mills · May 17, 2025, 6:02am

Thanks Krivati
Are you able to provide a copy of you automation.

Krivatri · May 17, 2025, 6:12am

I did, the code I provided is the complete automation you need.

if your not sure how to copy the code into your automation, here is how:

first edit your automation and go to the 3 dots at the top right, click on it and select “Edit in YAML”.
select all and delete your code, then paste my code and save.
finally go to developer tools and reload the automations.

mills · May 17, 2025, 6:38am

Finally it works.
Thanks for your help Krivatri .
It has been a steep learning curve.

Krivatri · May 17, 2025, 6:59am

You’re welcome , we all had to go through these first steps.