Tuya automation — stop and resume charging step by step
Jan PrószyńskiThis guide shows how to stop charging that starts during selected hours and how to set up its resumption. It uses Work State: Charger Charging, Switch: OFF and a separate timed scene to start charging.
These instructions cover chargers that expose Work State, Switch, Charge Current Set and Work Mode in Tuya. Select your charger and use the labels shown in its panel. Screenshots show example settings; enter times and current according to the instructions and your own configuration.
Tuya schedules and automations — how to control charging hours
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.
| Element | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|
| If | Condition (trigger) | The event that fires the rule. The rule "sleeps" until this event happens. |
| Then | Action | What runs once the condition is met. |
| Precondition | Time restriction | The window in which the rule can fire at all: hours, days of the week. Outside it, the rule is inactive. |
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.
| State | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Charger Free | Idle, nothing plugged in |
| Charger Inserted | Plug inserted into the car |
| Charger Wait | Waiting to start |
| Charger Charging | Charging in progress |
| Charger Pause | Charging paused |
| Charge finished | Charging complete |
| Free with fault | Fault with no car connected |
| Charge with fault | Fault during charging |
The trigger is the device changing to the selected state. Remaining in that state or reaching the start of a Precondition period does not trigger the rule.
Building the rule, step by step
Create a rule with Charger Charging, Switch: OFF and a 19:00–22:00 period, Monday to Friday. A separate scheduled stop at 19:00 stops charging that was already in progress before the period began.
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Create a new automation - Smart tab → Automation → Create. If you already have other rules, use the + button in the top right corner.
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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.
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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.
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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.
- Choose Work State, then Charger Charging, and confirm. The rule sends a command after detecting the change to this state.
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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.
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Add an action - tap + next to Then. Besides controlling a device, you can also run another scene, add a delay, or send a notification.
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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.
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Pick the charger - the same device list as before.
- Select Switch, set OFF and confirm. This action stops charging.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Open the hour picker - after selecting Custom mode, an Effective Period entry appears, defaulting to 00:00–23:59.
- Set the period to 19:00–22:00. If you enter 18:55 as the start, the rule will stop newly started charging from 18:55. An earlier time means earlier action, not merely monitoring.
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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.
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Pick the city on the map - zoom into your area and confirm with OK.
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Close the settings - the chosen range now shows next to the Effective Period entry. Tap Done.
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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.
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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
| Mistake | Effect, and how to avoid it |
|---|---|
| No days selected in a schedule | The entry runs once and then stops. Always set repeat. |
| Expecting an automation to turn the device on | Combine a scheduled stop at the beginning of the period with an automation that stops charging started during that period. Use a separate timed command to resume charging afterwards. The end of a Precondition period does not turn charging on. |
| A rule with no time restriction | It fires at any time of day. Set the Precondition. |
| Wrong device time zone | All hours shift by a few hours. Check it in the device settings. |
Combine a scheduled stop at the beginning of the period with an automation that stops charging started during that period. Use a separate timed command to resume charging afterwards. The end of a Precondition period does not turn charging on.
Tuya charging schedule — set charging times step by step
How to resume charging after the blocked period
If charging does not resume after the period ends, add a separate timed scene. This example runs it at 22:02, after the blocking rule ends at 22:00.
- Open Smart → Automation, add a scene and select the Schedule trigger (clock icon). This is a scene trigger, not the schedule on the device screen.
- Set the time to 22:02 and repeat Monday to Friday. Confirm.
- Under Then, select Device → Select a single device and your charger.
- Select three actions: Charge Current Set — your current limit, Work Mode — Charging now, and Switch — ON. Do not copy the current from a screenshot; retain the limit selected for your electrical installation and charger.
- Leave Precondition set to All day, save the scene and enable it. For another period, add an equivalent scene with the appropriate time and days.
22:02 deliberately separates resumption from the end of the block. For a period ending at 13:00, use 13:02 in this example. Verify the complete setup after saving. Command execution time depends on communication with the cloud.
The schedules and automations described in this guide are stored and triggered in the Tuya cloud, not in the charger's memory. At the scheduled time or after detecting an event, the cloud sends a command to the device. The charger must be connected to the internet for these commands to work.
If your vehicle has its own charging schedule, configure it according to the vehicle manual as an additional restriction on when it draws energy.
Have a question about a specific step? Get in touch: hello@amperepoint.com.
