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Timers 1.0.0+ ​

Timers let you delay actions, schedule follow-ups, and build flows that react to time passing rather than immediate events.
They are simple, self-contained countdowns that start, expire, and reset without storing additional data.

A timer always has two states: running or not running.
When it reaches zero, it fires a flow card once and then stops automatically.

How it works ​

Timers operate independently of other features:

  1. You start a timer with a chosen duration.
  2. The timer counts down in the background.
  3. When it finishes, it emits a single “timer finished” event.
  4. The timer turns off until you start it again.

Timers can also be stopped or cleared at any moment.

Why use Timers? ​

Timers are useful whenever you need delayed automation or cooldown periods.
Common uses include:

  • Turn off a light after a delay.
  • Run a reminder 10 minutes after an event.
  • Create cooldowns between two actions.
  • Trigger follow-up steps in routines.
  • Auto-reset modes or flags after a while.

Timers help keep flows clean by centralizing timing logic.

Flow cards ​

These flow cards allow you to start, stop, reset, or check timers, enabling precise time-based control in your flows.

Actions ​

FlowBits
Pause timer Hall lights
Pauses the timer, if it is running.
FlowBits
Resume timer Alarm cooldown
Resumes the timer, if it is paused.
FlowBits
Set timer Hall lights to 5 minutes
Sets the timer to a new duration.
FlowBits
Set timer Hall lights between 3 minutes and 10 minutes
Sets the timer to a random duration between the specified minimum and maximum.
FlowBits
Start timer Hall lights with 5 minutes
Starts the timer with the provided duration. Replaces any existing timer with the same name.
FlowBits
Start timer Delay between 30 seconds and 2 minutes
Starts the timer with a random duration between the specified minimum and maximum.
FlowBits
Stop timer Hall lights
Stops the timer, if it is running.

Conditions ​

FlowBits
Timer Alarm cooldown has more than 30 seconds left
Checks if the timer has the specified duration left.
FlowBits
Timer Hall lights is finished
Checks if the timer is finished.
FlowBits
Timer Alarm cooldown is paused
Checks if the timer is paused.
FlowBits
Timer Hall lights is running
Checks if the timer is running.

Triggers ​

FlowBits
Timer Hall lights finished
Triggers when the timer finishes.
FlowBits
Timer Hall lights paused
Triggers when the timer is paused.
FlowBits
30 seconds remaining for timer Hall lights
Triggers when the timer is running and has reached the specified duration.
FlowBits
Timer Hall lights resumed
Triggers when the timer is resumed after being paused.
FlowBits
Timer Hall lights started
Triggers when the timer starts.
FlowBits
Timer Hall lights stopped
Triggers when the timer stops.

Examples ​

Light auto-off ​

Start a kitchen_light timer for 5 minutes when motion is detected.
When the timer expires, turn the light off.

Cooldown period ​

After turning on the heating, start a heating_cooldown timer for 30 minutes.
During this period, block additional heating changes.

Follow-up reminder ​

Emit a reminder 10 minutes after someone arrives home by starting an arrival_delay timer and listening for its expiration.

Notes ​

  • Timers are stateless aside from their running/paused state.
  • You can create as many timers as you need, each identified by name.
  • Starting a timer again resets the countdown.
  • Only the expiration event triggers a flow — not each passing second.