Sun2 Sensor

Creates sensors that provide information about various sun related events.

Follow the installation instructions below. Then add one or more locations with desired sensors either via YAML, the UI or both.

Installation

With HACS

You can use HACS to manage the installation and provide update notifications.

1. Add this repo as a custom repository. It should then appear as a new integration. Click on it. If necessary, search for "sun2".

   https://github.com/pnbruckner/ha-sun2
   

   Or use this button:

   

2. Download the integration using the appropriate button.

Manual

Place a copy of the files from custom_components/sun2 in <config>/custom_components/sun2, where <config> is your Home Assistant configuration directory.

NOTE: When downloading, make sure to use the Raw button from each file's page.

After it has been downloaded you will need to restart Home Assistant.

Versions

This custom integration supports HomeAssistant versions 2023.4.0 or newer.

Services

sun2.reload

Reloads Sun2 from the YAML-configuration. Also adds SUN2 to the Developers Tools -> YAML page.

sun2.get_location

Responds with the current location configuration options (latitude, etc.) of the specified location. Takes just one parameter, location, which is the name of the location, and is also the name of the corresponding integration entry.

sun2.update_location

Updates one or more parts of the location configuration options of the specified location. Takes one required parameter, location. (Same as sun2.get_location service.) Can also take location parameters (latitude, longitude & time_zone), which if any are specified, they must all be specified. Can also take observer elevation parameters (obeserver_elevation). These parameters are the same as specified below in the YAML configuration section.

Configuration

One or more "locations" can be added for this integration. Each location is defined by a set of parameters (latitude, etc.) Sensors will be created for each location that provide sun related data for that location. A location can be added either via the UI or YAML.

To add a location via the UI, you can use this My Button:

Alternatively, go to Settings -> Devices & services and click the + ADD INTEGRATION button. Find or search for "sun2", click on it, then follow the prompts.

The remainder of this section defines the list of YAML configuration options for each location.

Key	Optional	Description
unique_id	no	Unique identifier for location. This allows any of the remaining options to be changed without looking like a new location.
location	yes*	Name of location
latitude	yes*	The location's latitude (in degrees)
longitude	yes*	The location's longitude (in degrees)
time_zone	yes*	The location's time zone. (See the "TZ database name" column at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tz_database_time_zones.)
observer_elevation	yes	What affects sunrise & sunset as defined here
binary_sensors	yes	Binary sensor configurations as defined here
sensors	yes	Sensor configurations as defined here

* These must all be used together. If not used, the default is Home Assistant's location, time zone & name configuration.

Observer Elevation

The easterly sun events (sunrise, dawn, etc.) and westerly sun events (sunset, dusk, etc.) can be viewed at either the horizon, or at the top of some obstruction, such as a mountain. (For more details, see Effect of Elevation.) This configuration option describes which apply at the specified location.

There are two basic choices. The first is that the sun events are seen at the horizon in both directions. In this case, a simple number may be given which defines the observer's elevation above ground level (not sea level) in meters. If this option is not specified, then the elevation from the system's general configuration will be used.

NOTE: Settings -> System -> General -> Elevation is defined as "Altitude above sea level in meters. Impacts sunrise data."

This is, and always has been, defined incorrectly. It should be defined as altitude above ground level, not sea level. Therefore, if the optional observer_elevation is not specified, and your system's general elevation contains your home's altitude above sea level, then this integration will get the wrong elevation value, resulting in incorrect sensor values. This situation should be avoided. Therefore, if it occurs, a WARNING will be generated to bring it to your attention.

The second choice is specifying an obstruction in one or both directions (sunrise_obstruction and/or sunset_obstruction). For each used, the horizontal distance to the obstruction (distance), and the height of the top of the obstruction, relative to the observer (relative_height), must be specified. Note that the relative height can be negative (e.g., the observer is on an even taller mountain.) If only one is used, then the observer's elevation above ground level (above_ground) must also be specified (for the other direction.)

Here are some examples:

observer_elevation: 5

observer_elevation:
  sunrise_obstruction: {distance: 10000, relative_height: 2000}
  sunset_obstruction: {distance: 5000, relative_height: -100}

observer_elevation:
  above_ground: 0
  sunrise_obstruction: {distance: 10000, relative_height: 2000}

Note that this replaces the elevation option used in previous versions.

Binary Sensor Configurations

A list of one or more of the following.

elevation

'on' when sun's elevation is above threshold, 'off' when at or below threshold.

Key	Optional	Description
unique_id	no	Unique identifier for entity. Must be unique within set of binary sensors for location. This allows any of the remaining options to be changed without looking like a new entity.
elevation	no	Elevation threshold (in degrees) or horizon
name	yes	Entity friendly name

For example, this:

- unique_id: bs1
  elevation: horizon

Would be equivalent to:

- unique_id: bs1
  elevation: -0.833
  name: Above horizon

Sensor Configurations

A list of one or more of the following.

Time at Elevation Sensor

Key	Optional	Description
unique_id	no	Unique identifier for entity. Must be unique within set of sensors for location. This allows any of the remaining options to be changed without looking like a new entity.
time_at_elevation	no	Elevation (in degrees)
direction	yes	rising (default) or setting
icon	yes	Default is mdi:weather-sunny
name	yes	Entity friendly name

For example, this:

- unique_id: s1
  time_at_elevation: -0.833

Would be equivalent to:

- unique_id: s1
  time_at_elevation: -0.833
  direction: rising
  icon: mdi:weather-sunny
  name: Rising at minus 0.833 °

Elevation at Time Sensor

Key	Optional	Description
unique_id	no	Unique identifier for entity. Must be unique within set of sensors for location. This allows any of the remaining options to be changed without looking like a new entity.
elevation_at_time	no	Time string or input_datetime entity ID
name	yes	Entity friendly name

When using an input_datetime entity it must have the time component. The date component is optional. If the date is not present, the result will be the sun's elevation at the given time on the current date. If the date is present, it will be used and the result will be the sun's elevation at the given time on the given date. Also in this case, the sensor entity will not have yesterday, today and tomorrow attributes.

Aditional Sensors

Besides the sensors described above, the following will also be created automatically. Simply enable or disable these entities as desired.

Point in Time Sensors

Some of these will be enabled by default. The rest will be disabled by default.

Type	Enabled	Description
Solar Midnight	yes	The time when the sun is at its lowest point closest to 00:00:00 of the specified date; i.e. it may be a time that is on the previous day.
Astronomical Dawn	no	The time in the morning when the sun is 18 degrees below the horizon
Nautical Dawn	no	The time in the morning when the sun is 12 degrees below the horizon
Dawn	yes	The time in the morning when the sun is 6 degrees below the horizon
Rising	yes	AKA Sunrise. The time in the morning when the sun is 0.833 degrees below the horizon. This is to account for refraction.
Solar Noon	yes	The time when the sun is at its highest point
Setting	yes	AKA Sunset. The time in the evening when the sun is 0.833 degrees below the horizon. This is to account for refraction.
Dusk	yes	The time in the evening when the sun is a 6 degrees below the horizon
Nautical Dusk	no	The time in the evening when the sun is a 12 degrees below the horizon
Astronomical Dusk	no	The time in the evening when the sun is a 18 degrees below the horizon

Length of Time Sensors (in hours)

These are all disabled by default.

Type	Description
Daylight	The amount of time between sunrise and sunset
Civil Daylight	The amount of time between dawn and dusk
Nautical Daylight	The amount of time between nautical dawn and nautical dusk
Astronomical Daylight	The amount of time between astronomical dawn and astronomical dusk
Night	The amount of time between sunset and sunrise of the next day
Civil Night	The amount of time between dusk and dawn of the next day
Nautical Night	The amount of time between nautical dusk and nautical dawn of the next day
Astronomical Night	The amount of time between astronomical dusk and astronomical dawn of the next day

Other Sensors

These are also all disabled by default.

Type	Description
Azimuth	The sun's azimuth (degrees)
Rising Azimuth	The sun's azimuth at sunrise (degrees)
Setting Azimuth	The sun's azimuth at sunset (degrees)
Elevation	The sun's elevation (degrees)
Minimum Elevation	The sun's elevation at solar midnight (degrees)
maximum Elevation	The sun's elevation at solar noon (degrees)
deCONZ Daylight	Emulation of deCONZ Daylight Sensor
Phase	See Sun Phase Sensor

Sun Phase Sensor

Possible states

State	Description
Night	Sun is below -18°
Astronomical Twilight	Sun is between -18° and -12°
Nautical Twilight	Sun is between -12° and -6°
Civil Twilight	Sun is between -6° and -0.833°
Day	Sun is above -0.833°

Attributes

Attribute	Description
rising	True if sun is rising
blue_hour	True if sun is between -6° and -4°
golden_hour	True if sun is between -4° and 6°

Example Full Configuration

sun2:
  - unique_id: home
    binary_sensors:
      - unique_id: bs1
        elevation: horizon
      - unique_id: bs2
        elevation: 3
      - unique_id: bs3
        elevation: -6
        name: Above Civil Dawn
    sensors:
      - unique_id: s1
        time_at_elevation: 10
      - unique_id: s2
        time_at_elevation: -10
        direction: setting
        icon: mdi:weather-sunset-down
        name: Setting past 10 deg below horizon
      - unique_id: s3
        elevation_at_time: '12:00'
        name: Elv @ noon
      - unique_id: s4
        elevation_at_time: input_datetime.test
        name: Elv @ test var

  - unique_id: london
    location: London
    latitude: 51.50739529645933
    longitude: -0.12767666584664272
    time_zone: Europe/London
    elevation: 0
    binary_sensors:
      - unique_id: bs1
        elevation
      - unique_id: bs2
        elevation: 3
      - unique_id: bs3
        elevation: -6
        name: Above Civil Dawn
    sensors:
      - unique_id: s1
        time_at_elevation: 10
      - unique_id: s2
        time_at_elevation: -10
        direction: setting
        icon: mdi:weather-sunset-down
        name: Setting past 10 deg below horizon
      - unique_id: s3
        elevation_at_time: '12:00'
        name: Elv @ noon
      - unique_id: s4
        elevation_at_time: input_datetime.test
        name: Elv @ test var

All "simple" sensor options (e.g., dawn, daylight, etc.) will be created automatically. Some will be enabled by default, but most will not. Simply go to the Settings -> Devices & services page, click on Sun2, then entities, and enable/disable the entities as desired.