Generic Thermostat (helper) not allow input_boolean

[gleanlux]

The problem

The Generic Thermostat helper does not allow to set an input_boolean helper for a controlled switch. This should be a basic feature for combining thermostats, and it worked for YAML configuration.

What version of Home Assistant Core has the issue?

2024.9.3

What was the last working version of Home Assistant Core?

What type of installation are you running?

Home Assistant OS

Integration causing the issue

Generic Thermostat (helper)

Link to integration documentation on our website

https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/generic_thermostat/

Diagnostics information

Example YAML snippet

No response

Anything in the logs that might be useful for us?

No response

Additional information

No response

[home-assistant[bot]]

generic_thermostat documentation generic_thermostat source

[issue-triage-workflows[bot]]

There hasn't been any activity on this issue recently. Due to the high number of incoming GitHub notifications, we have to clean some of the old issues, as many of them have already been resolved with the latest updates. Please make sure to update to the latest Home Assistant version and check if that solves the issue. Let us know if that works for you by adding a comment 👍 This issue has now been marked as stale and will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.

[gleanlux]

The problem persists on version 2024.12.5. It is still not possible to specify a helper as a controlled output.

[frenck]

Hi there @gleanlux 👋

Thanks for your issue and response. I wanted to respond earlier to this one, but was travelling last week, so missed that closing window. Sorry about that.

Nevertheless, the issue you report isn't an issue but is by design. The use of input_boolean is not a correct usage. The fact is works right now in YAML, is considered a bug.

../Frenck

[gleanlux]

Hi @frenck ! Thank you for your reply! I looked at the closed topics, some people have made the extension but it was rejected, but I don't understand this situation.

For example, in my case, 3 thermostats should start 1 heater. The only way to do this is to switch 3 input_booleans and treat them as "or" with an automatism. Currently with a thermostat configured from GUI this is not possible. I read someone wrote to create a template switch, but then it would be overcomplicated to infinity to have 1 thermostat, input_number, template switch, it would be a mind boggling.

What do you think is the right solution?

[frenck]

For example, in my case, 3 thermostats should start 1 heater. The only way to do this is to switch 3 input_booleans and treat them as "or" with an automatism.

Why not use a group helper?

[gleanlux]

You are absolutely right. I was not very experienced in HA when I made it a long time ago. Unfortunately, this still does not solve the basic problem. There is too much to convert: thermostat -> input_boolean -> template switch And only after that you could then e.g. group it. This is what you meant, right?

[asportnoy]

Nevertheless, the issue you report isn't an issue but is by design. The use of input_boolean is not a correct usage. The fact is works right now in YAML, is considered a bug.

@frenck I don't believe this works for my use case. In order to toggle my heating device, I need to have a button be pressed (by a SwitchBot) a specific number of times. As such, I have two automations hooked up to an input boolean, one to be triggered when it's turned on, and one to be triggered when it's turned off.

Is there some other way to hook the generic thermostat into automations for cases such as mine? If not, I believe that input booleans need to be supported here.

Also as a side note, I don't think this was a bug for YAML. It looks like support for it was intentionally added in #10597. But maybe I misunderstood your point there.