Build a Tuya Automation That Blocks Charging During Set Hours - Full Guide

An automation in the Tuya app (Smart Life) is the most reliable way to stop your AMPERE POINT charger from charging during certain hours - one that keeps working no matter when the car actually gets plugged in. This guide builds one from scratch: a rule that blocks charging between 19:00 and 22:00, step by step, with every screen along the way.

Looking for the simpler option instead? See Schedule vs. Automation: which one fits your case.

How an automation is built

Every automation in the Tuya app has the same three parts. Understanding them is all you need to build your own rules.

Precondition is not a trigger. This is a common misunderstanding. Setting a 19:00–22:00 range doesn't mean "do something at 19:00" - it means "only react while the clock is between 19:00 and 22:00." Without an event in the If section, nothing happens on its own.

What conditions the charger offers

After choosing the "When device status changes" trigger and selecting your charger, the app shows a list of parameters you can watch. The most useful one is Work State - the device's operating state.

Any of these states can be a trigger. The rule fires the moment the charger transitions into the chosen state - not while it stays in it.

Building the rule, step by step

We'll build a rule that stops charging if it starts between 19:00 and 22:00, Monday to Friday. The same path applies to any other rule - only the chosen values change.

1. Create a new automation - Smart tab → Automation → Create. If you already have other rules, use the + button in the top right corner.
   
2. Choose the trigger type - the list has several types. "When device status changes" reacts to a device. Schedule fires at a set time - useful if you want to build a schedule in the form of a scene.
   
3. Select the device - "Select a single device" picks one charger. "Select multiple devices" lets one rule cover several chargers at once - useful with more than one charging point.
   
4. Pick your charger from the list - the list shows every device on the account. Devices marked "Offline" are unavailable right now but can still be used in a rule.
   
5. Set the condition - choose Work State, then a specific state - here, Charger Charging. The rule fires the moment charging starts.
   
6. The condition now shows under If - after confirming, you're back on the scene screen. The condition is saved. You can add more conditions with the + button, choosing at the top whether all of them or any one must be met.
   
7. Add an action - tap + next to Then. Besides controlling a device, you can also run another scene, add a delay, or send a notification.
   
8. Pick the device to control - it can be a different device than the one in the condition; that's what gives scenes their power. Here we're controlling the same charger, so we select it again.
   
9. Pick the charger - the same device list as before.
   
10. Set the parameter to change - Switch turns charging on or off. Also available: Charge Current Set (limits the current) and Work Mode - so instead of stopping charging, you could just reduce the current.
    
11. Check the whole rule - the screen shows the condition, the action, and the Precondition entry, set to "All day" by default. Without changing it, the rule would run around the clock.
    
12. Open the time restriction - tap Precondition, then Effective Period. "Valid When" lets you additionally make the rule depend on other devices' state or on the weather.
    
13. Choose Custom mode - besides manual, there are Day and Night modes based on sunrise/sunset - handy for things like lighting. For fixed hours, choose Custom.
    
14. Open the hour picker - after selecting Custom mode, an Effective Period entry appears, defaulting to 00:00–23:59.
    
15. Set the hour range - it's worth starting the range a few minutes earlier than the exact boundary hour, so the rule starts watching before the schedule sends its own command.
    
16. Set the days of the week and city - repeat this for the day selector. The app needs the city to correctly calculate local time and sunrise/sunset hours.
    
17. Pick the city on the map - zoom into your area and confirm with OK.
    
18. Close the settings - the chosen range now shows next to the Effective Period entry. Tap Done.
    
19. Name the rule - a good name includes the hours and what the rule does. With several rules in place, this saves a lot of time - you can see everything from the list without opening each one.
    
20. Check that it's active - the rule appears on the list with a toggle. Green means active. You can turn a rule off at any time without deleting it - handy while you're on holiday, for instance.
    

Rules worth remembering

Schedule or automation - quick reference

Internet connection: a schedule is stored on the device itself and, once saved, keeps working without internet. Automations run in the cloud and need a connection. After a longer power outage, the device may need to resync with the app to restore its saved hours.

The most reliable setup: if charging hours need to be completely dependable, it's worth setting a schedule in the car itself too. The vehicle then won't draw power outside the set hours regardless of the app, the charger, or the internet connection.

Have a question about a specific step? Get in touch: hello@amperepoint.com.