Power value

The Power value condition passes when a power reading meets the threshold you define. You can check whether the current reading is above, below, inside, or outside a range.

Use Power value when you want an automation to continue only if the current load is suitable, such as waiting until an appliance is idle or avoiding another high-load action while household power use is already high.

Using this condition from the user interface

If you prefer building automations visually, Home Assistant walks you through this condition step by step. You pick what to check, tweak a few options, and save. No YAML knowledge required.

To use Power value in an automation:

1. Go to Settings > Automations & scenes.
2. Open an existing automation, or select Create automation > Create new automation.
3. In the And if section, select Add condition.
4. Select what you want to check. Under By target (see Targets), pick the area your power sensor is in. You can also select a device, a specific entity, or a label.
5. From the conditions shown for that target, select Power value.
6. Under Threshold type, set the power value the condition checks against:
   1. Pick whether the reading must be Above, Below, In range, or Outside range of the threshold.
   2. Select Number or Entity:
      • Number: Enter a fixed power value. For In range or Outside range, enter both a lower and upper bound.
      • Entity: Use a sensor entity or a user-created number helper as the threshold.
7. Under Condition passes if (see Behavior), choose how multiple targeted sensors should behave. The default is Any.
8. Under For at least, set how long the reading must meet the threshold before the condition passes. Leave it at zero to pass immediately.
9. Select Save.

Options in the UI

Using this condition in YAML

If you work directly in YAML, or you want to know exactly what Home Assistant does under the hood, this section has the technical reference. It lists the field names you use in YAML, their types, and which ones are required.

In YAML, refer to this condition as power.is_value. A basic example looks like this:

condition: power.is_value
target:
  entity_id: sensor.main_power
options:
  threshold:
    type: below
    value:
      number: 2500
      unit_of_measurement: "W"

This passes when the main power reading is below 2500 W.

To check that multiple sensors are all inside a normal operating range:

condition: power.is_value
target:
  entity_id:
    - sensor.circuit_1_power
    - sensor.circuit_2_power
options:
  threshold:
    type: between
    value_min:
      number: 100
      unit_of_measurement: "W"
    value_max:
      number: 1500
      unit_of_measurement: "W"
  behavior: all

This passes when both circuit power readings are between 100 W and 1500 W.

To use a user-created helperA helper is a virtual entity you create inside Home Assistant. It is not backed by a physical device. Helpers store values, track state, or do calculations that your automations and dashboards need. [Learn more] as a dynamic threshold that you can adjust without editing the automation:

condition: power.is_value
target:
  entity_id: sensor.ev_charger_power
options:
  threshold:
    type: below
    value:
      entity: input_number.max_charger_power

Options in YAML

Targets of the condition

This condition requires a target. The target is the object that Home Assistant will check. You can point the condition at a single entityAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service. [Learn more], a device, an area, a floor, or a label, and Home Assistant will evaluate every matching power entity behind that target.

• Entity: one specific power entity, such as power.living_room.
• Device: every power entity that belongs to a device.
• Area: every power entity in a room or area.
• Floor: every power entity on a floor.
• Label: every power entity that shares a label.

You can also select different target types in one condition. For example, you can add a specific entity and an area as targets in the same condition to check both of them at once.

Behavior with multiple targets

When you target more than one entity (or select an area, floor, or label that contains several), the Condition passes if option controls how the results combine:

• Any (default): the condition passes if at least one of the targeted entities matches. For example, if you check three smoke sensors and only one of them detects smoke, the condition still passes. This is useful for questions like “is there smoke anywhere in the house?”
• All: the condition passes only when every targeted entity matches. For example, if you check the same three smoke sensors, the condition passes only once all three report cleared. This is useful for “is the entire house safe now?” checks, so your automation does not send an all-clear while one room still has a reading.

Good to know

• Use Power value to check the current load at the moment the condition runs. If you want to react when a reading changes or crosses a threshold, use Power changed or Power crossed threshold.
• Supported thresholds can use fixed values, a sensor with the power device class, a number entity with the power device class, or a user-created helperA helper is a virtual entity you create inside Home Assistant. It is not backed by a physical device. Helpers store values, track state, or do calculations that your automations and dashboards need. [Learn more] from the Input number integration.
• Supported power units are mW, W, kW, MW, GW, TW, and BTU/h.
• Entities that are unavailable or unknown are skipped when the condition is evaluated. With Any, at least one remaining valid entity must match. With All, every remaining valid entity must match.
• When you use a sensor or helper as a dynamic threshold, its current value is read when the condition runs.
• This condition works with sensors that have the power device class.

Try it yourself

Ready to test this? Go to Settings > Automations & scenes, open an automation, and add this condition. Trigger the automation with and without the condition met, and watch whether it continues or stops.

More examples

Real scenarios where this condition gates an automation. Copy any example and adapt it to your setup.

Automation: only notify when the washing machine is really finished

At 22:00, send a notification only if the washing machine power is below 3 W for at least 5 minutes.

• Trigger: Time: 22:00
• Condition: Power value (below 3 W)
  • Target: Washing machine power sensor
  • For at least: 00:05:00
• Action: Send a notification message
  • Target: My Device (notify.my_device)

alias: "Notify only when the washing machine is really finished"
triggers:
  - trigger: time
    at: "22:00:00"
conditions:
  - condition: power.is_value
    target:
      entity_id: sensor.washing_machine_power
    options:
      threshold:
        type: below
        value:
          number: 3
          unit_of_measurement: "W"
      for: "00:05:00"
actions:
  - action: notify.send_message
    target:
      entity_id: notify.my_device
    data:
      message: "The washing machine is idle and the cycle appears to be finished."

Automation: only turn on the water heater boost when power use is low enough

At 02:00, turn on the water heater boost switch only if the current household power use is below 2500 W.

• Trigger: Time: 02:00
• Condition: Power value (below 2500 W)
  • Target: Main power sensor
• Action: Turn on switch
  • Target: switch.water_heater_boost

alias: "Turn on water heater boost when power use is low enough"
triggers:
  - trigger: time
    at: "02:00:00"
conditions:
  - condition: power.is_value
    target:
      entity_id: sensor.main_power
    options:
      threshold:
        type: below
        value:
          number: 2500
          unit_of_measurement: "W"
actions:
  - action: switch.turn_on
    target:
      entity_id: switch.water_heater_boost

Still stuck?

The Home Assistant community is quick to help: join Discord for real-time chat, post on the community forum with the condition you’re using and what you expected to happen, or share on our subreddit /r/homeassistant.