Sun below horizon = lamp on?

Configuration
#1

Hi,

Rather than an automation to turn on a light at sunset (+/- some offset), and then a second to turn it off at sunrise (+/- offset), can’t we use “below horizon” as a stand in for “dark”? I’d want a single automation that says “while dark turn on if off, else turn off if on”.

So I suppose the basic question is are “do while” loops available for automations, and how often does it loop to check the status of “dark”?

Thanks,
-Ambi

#2

Home assistant is event driven.

1 Like
#3
  • id: bathroom motion led on
    alias: bathroom motion led on
    trigger:
    • entity_id: binary_sensor.motion_sensor_xxxx14
      from: ‘off’
      platform: state
      to: ‘on’
      condition:
      condition: or
      conditions:
      - condition: sun
      after: sunset
      after_offset: “-01:00:00”
      - condition: sun
      before: sunrise
      after_offset: “01:00:00”
      action:
    • data:
      color_name: orangered
      brightness_pct: 80
      entity_id: light.led_bathroom
      service: light.turn_on
#4

Please format your post correctly.

#5

You can use a value template and check for the elevation, that’s what I do.

1 Like
#6

See the sticky post for how to correctly format code blocks, and other things. If you don’t do that, then nobody can use what you posted.

#7

You can do that with templates. That does mean that your single automation is harder to debug and maybe harder to read though:

- alias: 'Make the lights chase the sun'
  trigger: 
    # Use only of these
    # Triggers when the sun goes above/below the horizon
    - platform: state
      entity_id: sun.sun
    # Triggers when the sun goes above/below the defined elevation
    - platform: value_template
      value_template: "{{ state_attr('sun.sun','elevation')|int < -3 }}"
  action:
    - service_template: >-
        {% if is_state('sun.sun','above_horizon') %}
          light.turn_off
        {% else %}
          light.turn_on
        {% endif %}
      data:
        entity_id: light.your_light

And as has been said, no. Home assistant is event based.

2 Likes
#8

Great answer, thanks for your help!