Use helper for Sunrise/Dawn offset

Configuration
1

Hello,

is it possible to use an helper to set a “moving” offset for the sunrise & dawn events in automation?

I created an automation for the Christmas lights.
The trigger is set 30 min and 30 sec after the sunset.

This is ok for the end of november but, just a week later the days are shorter so 30 mins after the sunset are too much

The idea I had was to modify this value using an helper, so it can be easily adjsted by the users (or by another automation).
But, at least with the UI, it seems that is not possible to assign one

How can I do?

this is the actual trigger

  alias: accensione automatica
  trigger: sun
  event: sunset
  offset: "00:30:30"
  id: id_accensione_auto
2

I don’t get what you are asking, why would you need to modify the offset due to the days getting shorter? The sunset trigger compensates for shorter / longer days already.

As an example: the sunset trigger triggers at sunset 17:00 at one day. Your automation then triggers 17:30:30. A week after the sunset triggers at 16:45. That day your automation will trigger at 17:15:30.

3

Perhaps you could go by solar angle.(solar elevation from the sun integration)
I’ve recently changed to using a light sensor level from a device placed outside.
Our eyes are very good at compensating for lower light levels as light levels drop considerably before we notice.

4

Inside or outside lights? Are you sure it’s the shorter days, or is it the different amount of cloud coverage encountered at each sunset that is giving you trouble?

5

Sorry as you probably know English is not my main language :slight_smile:

Anyway, let me explain.

I need to use the offset because I want compensate the daylight.
Since at the end of november at the sunset there is still enough light so I want to add a sort of delay to power the Christmas lights in these 2 weeks.
In december instead, the light at sunset decreases fast, so a 30 minutes delay is too much (0 to 5 will be great).

I would like use the helpers to easy change the value without enter and modify the automation.

6

@bob.t
outside is not a problem since the light is ok, the problem is inside of the house that become darker fast

@Spiro
the sensor could be an idea but as said the problem are the lights inside, I have some zigbee philips devices (light, motion, temperature) but zigbee2mqtt removed the light values I used most (the range was from 0-25000[something] and it was very accurate), so I only have the lux and it is not ideal

EDIT:
I could create a binary sensor that is true at sunset and use it as trigger so I can delay it with an helper (I have to check) what do you think?

something like (example)

sunset_on = sunset.active
7

I don’t think that will be a problem. Of course the light inside will be based on the level of light outside as I am assumming the rooms have natural light coming in during daylight. Put your lux sensor inside or out. When it is getting dark at the point you want the lights to come on you note down what the lux level is and put that level in your automation so when it drops below that level for say 3 mins the lights come on.