Unable to identify location of error in code

ESPHome
1

Following a recent esphome update, I noticed the following error…

[W][homeassistant.binary_sensor:017]: Can't convert 'unknown' to binary state!

I have attempted to locate the cause, but no matter what I change it doesn’t appear to affect the error?

Here’s my code…

esp8266:
 board: nodemcuv2
 framework:
  version: recommended

esphome:
  name: esp1-studio
  on_boot:
    - lambda: 'id(climate_id).mode = climate::CLIMATE_MODE_COOL;'

# Enable logging
logger:

# Enable Home Assistant API
api:
  reboot_timeout: 0s
  
ota:
  password: !secret ota_password

wifi:
#  use_address: testbuild.local
  ssid: !secret wifi_ssid
  password: !secret wifi_password

  # Enable fallback hotspot (captive portal) in case wifi connection fails
  ap:
    ssid: "esp1_studio Fallback Hotspot"
    password: "Redacted"

captive_portal:

# MQTT Interface
mqtt:
  broker: !secret mqtt_broker
  port: 1883
  reboot_timeout: 0s
  keepalive: 60s
  discovery: false
  on_message:
    - topic: HomeAssistant/Studio/Aircon/Status
      payload: "OFF"
      qos: 0
      then:
        - binary_sensor.template.publish:
            id: ac_status
            state: off
        - logger.log: "The AC is OFF"
    - topic: HomeAssistant/Studio/Aircon/Status
      payload: "ON"
      qos: 0
      then:
        - binary_sensor.template.publish:
            id: ac_status
            state: on
        - logger.log: "The AC is ON"

status_led:
  pin: GPIO2

# Studio door reed switch sensor.
binary_sensor:

# AC status
  - platform: template
    id: ac_status
    on_press:
      - binary_sensor.template.publish:
          id: climate_status
          state: off
    on_release:
      - binary_sensor.template.publish:
          id: climate_status
          state: on
  - platform: template
    id: climate_status
    on_press:
      - climate.control:
          id: climate_id
          mode: 'cool'
      - switch.turn_on: damper_sw
    on_release:
      - climate.control:
          id: climate_id
          mode: 'off'
      - switch.turn_off: damper_sw

# Studio Air Conditioner Status from HA  
  - platform: homeassistant
    id: studio_ac_climate
    name: "Studio AC Status from HA"
    entity_id: binary_sensor.studio_ac_climate

#Temperature Sensor Pin
dallas:
  - pin: D1
    update_interval: 30s

#Relay switches
switch:
  - platform: gpio
    pin: 
      number: D6
      inverted: True
    id: damper_sw
    name: "damper_sw"
    restore_mode: RESTORE_DEFAULT_OFF
  - platform: gpio
    pin: 
      number: D5
      inverted: True
    id: fan_sw
    name: "fan_sw"
    restore_mode: RESTORE_DEFAULT_OFF
  - platform: gpio
    pin: 
      number: D7
      inverted: True
    id: rackfan_sw
    name: "rackfan_sw"
    restore_mode: RESTORE_DEFAULT_OFF

# Restart
  - platform: restart
    name: "esp1 Studio Restart"

sensor:
# Studio Outside DHT11 Sensor
  - platform: dht
    model: DHT11
    pin: D2
    temperature:
      name: "Studio DHT Out Temp"
      id: studio_dht_out_temp
    humidity:
      name: "Studio DHT Humidity"
    update_interval: 30s

# Studio Inside temperature sensor
  - platform: dallas
    id: in_dallas_id
    resolution: 12
    address: 0x1101143025227D28
    name: studio_in_temp
# Studio Outside temperature sensor
#  - platform: dallas
#    id: out_dallas_id
#    resolution: 12
#    address: 0xE602131B13F9AA28
#    name: studio_out_temp
    on_value:
      then:
      - if:
          condition:
            and:
              # Is the outside temp below 19 and the AC off
              - binary_sensor.is_off: studio_ac_climate
              - lambda: 'return id(studio_dht_out_temp).state < 19;'
          then:
              # Open the damper
              - binary_sensor.template.publish:
                  id: climate_status
                  state: on
              - mqtt.publish:
                  topic: HomeAssistant/Studio/Damper/Status
                  payload: "1"
              - logger.log: "The damper and climate is active"
      - if:
          condition:
            or:
              # Is the outside temp above 19 or the AC on
              - binary_sensor.is_on: ac_status
              - lambda: 'return id(studio_dht_out_temp).state > 19;'
          then:
              - binary_sensor.template.publish:
                  id: climate_status
                  state: off
              - mqtt.publish:
                  topic: HomeAssistant/Studio/Damper/Status
                  payload: "0"
              - logger.log: "The damper and climate is off"

climate:
  - platform: thermostat
    min_idle_time: 30s
    min_cooling_off_time: 120s
    min_cooling_run_time: 120s
    name: "Studio Climate Controller"
    id: climate_id
    sensor: in_dallas_id
    default_target_temperature_high: 22 °C
    cool_action:
      - switch.turn_on: fan_sw
      - logger.log: "The fan is now on"
      - mqtt.publish:
          topic: HomeAssistant/Studio/Fan/Status
          payload: "1"
    idle_action:
      - switch.turn_off: fan_sw
      - logger.log: "The fan is now off"
      - mqtt.publish:
          topic: HomeAssistant/Studio/Fan/Status
          payload: "0"

Please forgive my rubbish coding… it has been working successfully for quite some time now.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

2

This must be the binary sensor causing the warning, are you using the correct entity_id and if so, check the value with the developers tools in HA.

3

The unknown state I’d usually occuring during boots, so you do not get the error once HA is running and searching for the big at that point is useless.

4

Yes, the error appears to only appear at boot time, and the device appears to operate as expected. So I am not sure why it all of a sudden started happening.

@jsuanet I will monitor the situation, and perhaps some of the later updates requires a change to some syntax or the like?

5

Unless you need a feature of the update then I would advice against updating.
ESP-Home nodes are local and live their lives with very few tasks, they don’t need to be bothered with updates.

Most of my ESP-Home devices have years old code and because of that I don’t have any problems.

6

It is the HA standard, so maybe your device integration is just being aligned with that.
Have you checked the breaking changes notices