' trigger: In 'numeric_state' condition: entity sensor.meter_general_active_power state '' cannot be processed as a number (Solved)

Configuration Blueprints
1

I was trying to create a trigger on the power consumption for my entire flat, in order to stop some radiators, before that the main trip let me in the dark.
I created with the UI, an Automation that did not work and I could not understand why.
The log where giving me that abscond message.

[homeassistant.components.homeassistant.triggers.numeric_state] Error in ‘Power Dispatch On’ trigger: In ‘numeric_state’ condition: entity sensor.meter_general_active_power state ‘’ cannot be processed as a number

When I looked at the yaml of the automation it was looking like this :

alias: Power Dispatch On
description: Disconnect heating on high power request
trigger:
  - platform: numeric_state
    entity_id: sensor.meter_general_active_power
    value_template: ""
    above: 1500
    for:
      hours: 0
      minutes: 0
      seconds: 1
condition: []
action:

The root cause of the fault was coming from the line:
value_template: ""

I do not know how it came in the Yalm, most likely an action on the UI done by me, during a test, trying to get the thing to work. But once it’s there the UI will not remove it.
As it’s empty, it’s not visible. I have tried to reproduce how I did it, but I failed miserably (so I could not raise a bug)

Once this line was removed my automation worked :slight_smile:

alias: Power Dispatch On
description: Disconnect heating on high power request
trigger:
  - platform: numeric_state
    entity_id: sensor.meter_general_active_power
    above: 4800
    for:
      hours: 0
      minutes: 0
      seconds: 0
condition: []
action:
  - service: climate.turn_off
    data: {}
    target:
      area_id:
        - shower
        - chambre
        - bureau
        - cuisine
        - salon
  - service: water_heater.turn_off
    data: {}
mode: single