Sunset automation - device class timestamp

Configuration
1

Hi @ all,

I am pretty new to homeassistant and I was able to set up all I want to do - except one little thing.

I need an automation which is carried out cyclically between sunset and 11 pm as soon as nobody is at home.

A helper switch is activated as soon as everyone has left the house and this state lasts longer than 15 minutes.

I used the following time sensor for my EPaper display and I actually wanted to adopt this sensor for my automation. (at least that was the idea)

sensor:
  - platform: template
    sensors:
      epaper_sunset:
        friendly_name: "Sonnenuntergang"
        value_template: "{{ as_timestamp(strptime(states('sensor.sun_next_setting'), '%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S%z')) | timestamp_custom('%H:%M') }}"

The correct result of this template sensor looks like that:

1

Problem:

If I want to create the automation in the graphical automation builder, I cannot select the sensor “epaper_sunset”.

Only sensors that belong to the device_class: timestamp are displayed here.

Now I changed the template configuration and I added the device class:

sensor:
  - platform: template
    sensors:      
      epaper_sunset:
        device_class: timestamp
        friendly_name: "Sonnenuntergang"
        value_template: "{{ as_timestamp(strptime(states('sensor.sun_next_setting'), '%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S%z')) | timestamp_custom('%H:%M') }}"

Now the sensor is selectable in the dropdown menu of the grafical automation builder, but if I look at the state of the sensor it shows the state unkown:

Unkown state

image
image1131×69 5.82 KB

Screenshot of the automation

image
image1050×619 29 KB

I am not able to solve this problem.
Maybe somebody can help me or can suggest a completely different approach.

Many thanks in advanced

Nicole :slight_smile:

2

If you’re going to use a device_class: timestamp sensor, the Jinja template should be:

        value_template: "{{ states('sensor.sun_next_setting') }}"