# App to start at a random time/delay between two periods **URL:** \ **Category:** Questions & Help\ **Created:** [January 9, 2026, 5:14pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-to-start-at-a-random-time-delay-between-two-periods/148921 "2026-01-09T17:14:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Steve\_Nye](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/steve_nye/32/123396_2.png) [@Steve\_Nye](https://community.homey.app/u/Steve_Nye)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2026, 5:14pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-to-start-at-a-random-time-delay-between-two-periods/148921/1 "2026-01-09T17:14:36Z")
I am looking for an App that allows me to choose a random delay between x and y minutes that can be canceled if required by another flow. Does one exist? Steve ---
**Author:** ![SunBeech](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/sunbeech/32/111391_2.png) [@SunBeech](https://community.homey.app/u/SunBeech)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2026, 5:42pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-to-start-at-a-random-time-delay-between-two-periods/148921/2 "2026-01-09T17:42:28Z")
You can use the [Chronograph](https://homey.app/en-nl/app/nl.fellownet.chronograph/Chronograph/) app to initiate a stopwatch or timer via one flow and cancel that stopwatch/timer via another flow. There are flowcards that trigger when a timer/stopwatch completes or is stopped. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Nye](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/steve_nye/32/123396_2.png) [@Steve\_Nye](https://community.homey.app/u/Steve_Nye)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2026, 6:12pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-to-start-at-a-random-time-delay-between-two-periods/148921/3 "2026-01-09T18:12:38Z")
Thanks I did look at that app but I can’t see how to do the random function? ---
**Author:** ![SunBeech](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/sunbeech/32/111391_2.png) [@SunBeech](https://community.homey.app/u/SunBeech)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2026, 6:16pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-to-start-at-a-random-time-delay-between-two-periods/148921/4 "2026-01-09T18:16:02Z")
Ah yes, I missed that part in your question. I don’t think that app offers a randomizer. But you can use a variable as input for the timer/stopwatch. So if you first determine the random delay and put it in a variable, you can use that as input. ---
**Author:** ![Dijker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Dijker](https://community.homey.app/u/Dijker)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2026, 6:54pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-to-start-at-a-random-time-delay-between-two-periods/148921/5 "2026-01-09T18:54:31Z")
> [@Steve\_Nye](#): > > App that allows me to choose a random delay between x and y minutes An App is not necessary, use 1 - 99 Sec. or Min. to have a random delay between the first and last value. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/3/4/3457521b124b56e2cf8ee251ff801b21c18a8e12.png) Also available in Standard Flows (since Firmware v 1.xx 😉 ) ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/c/a/ca6d50070a3fecbd11caf5c1847396f5b3e335f1.png) ---
**Author:** ![SunBeech](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/sunbeech/32/111391_2.png) [@SunBeech](https://community.homey.app/u/SunBeech)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2026, 7:30pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-to-start-at-a-random-time-delay-between-two-periods/148921/6 "2026-01-09T19:30:49Z")
> [@Dijker](#): > > use 1 - 99 Sec. or Min. to have a random delay between the first and last value. What, really? I did not know you you specify a range in that card… Learned something new 😊! ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Nye](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/steve_nye/32/123396_2.png) [@Steve\_Nye](https://community.homey.app/u/Steve_Nye)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2026, 8:36pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-to-start-at-a-random-time-delay-between-two-periods/148921/7 "2026-01-09T20:36:54Z")
Thanks for this, I am very new to Homey and I am struggling to find an option for 1 - 99 I assume it is an AND trigger but I have looked at all the options and can’t see it. I also looked as a THEN under timeline but it did it give me an option for a delay. ---
**Author:** ![SunBeech](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/sunbeech/32/111391_2.png) [@SunBeech](https://community.homey.app/u/SunBeech)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2026, 10:07pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-to-start-at-a-random-time-delay-between-two-periods/148921/8 "2026-01-09T22:07:02Z")
It’s the Delay option (‘Wacht’ in Dutch) in the flow builder’s menu: ![IMG_2397](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/7/c/7c0c486ed8cd629f0f2effef89d3c0355a908f12.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Nye](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/steve_nye/32/123396_2.png) [@Steve\_Nye](https://community.homey.app/u/Steve_Nye)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2026, 10:14pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-to-start-at-a-random-time-delay-between-two-periods/148921/9 "2026-01-09T22:14:40Z")
Thank you I looked at that but was looking for options, I didn’t realise I just needed to key in 1-5 say. Steve ---
**Author:** ![SunBeech](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/sunbeech/32/111391_2.png) [@SunBeech](https://community.homey.app/u/SunBeech)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2026, 10:15pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-to-start-at-a-random-time-delay-between-two-periods/148921/10 "2026-01-09T22:15:55Z")
Yeah indeed. I also did not know that. It’s a little counter intuitive… ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Kawa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/peter_kawa/32/173848_2.png) [@Peter\_Kawa](https://community.homey.app/u/Peter_Kawa)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 4:00am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-to-start-at-a-random-time-delay-between-two-periods/148921/11 "2026-01-10T04:00:31Z")
Do realize when you start using minutes as unit, the chances of flows not running as expected increase. These delays ‘disappear’ after a reboot, and related flow won’t continue. I don’t use it for longer delays than a minute or so. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Nye](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/steve_nye/32/123396_2.png) [@Steve\_Nye](https://community.homey.app/u/Steve_Nye)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 5:54am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-to-start-at-a-random-time-delay-between-two-periods/148921/12 "2026-01-10T05:54:40Z")
Is that for all delays or for 1-n delays? ---
**Author:** ![ReneO](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/reneo/32/3522_2.png) [@ReneO](https://community.homey.app/u/ReneO)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 10:43am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-to-start-at-a-random-time-delay-between-two-periods/148921/13 "2026-01-10T10:43:36Z")
yes that applies to all delays. You can use a logic card and the app Chronograph. This timer will continue running after a restart. Use the Logic card Calculate to generate a random nummer between 1-n: ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/4/f/4fa00085eb51ec55493b155af24211514474d371.png) and asign that number to a Chronograph timer: ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/4/7/47ca9dac049e4aff9e6da82096e708bd552bc9b5.png) With the IF card you can then start a flow: ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/3/b/3b94a0cc3c6fafda43ecacec8bc8d4a8a940d802.png) ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Nye](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/steve_nye/32/123396_2.png) [@Steve\_Nye](https://community.homey.app/u/Steve_Nye)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 2:07pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-to-start-at-a-random-time-delay-between-two-periods/148921/14 "2026-01-10T14:07:37Z")
Thanks this was very helpful. Having input the random calculation though I can not get a number out of the equation, apologies I have only been using Homey for a short while. I searched and found another example, which I incorporated for testing purposes and I managed to get that to work ok. Do you type the calculation random or is it a tag? Steve ![Screenshot 2026-01-10 at 14.04.59](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/7/2/729507c3728c2fbfbd07adea14428b5a6e0e935d.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Nye](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/steve_nye/32/123396_2.png) [@Steve\_Nye](https://community.homey.app/u/Steve_Nye)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2026, 5:07pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-to-start-at-a-random-time-delay-between-two-periods/148921/15 "2026-01-11T17:07:41Z")
I don’t quite know how but I managed to generate random numbers however it isn’t giving me the results I expected. I created a test routine to generate a random number between a range and then sent the result to my mobile. The routine is here: ![Screenshot 2026-01-11 at 16.56.58](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/6/0/601036b784e384265cd9599c8221656b54a41424.jpeg) The results are read from the bottom of this screenshot up showing the numbers generated. with the first number being signified by ‘Step 1’ and giving 45. In this case I thought I was going to generate a number between 1 and 15. Any views as to what I am doing wrong? ![IMG_1726](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/f/6/f6373a393bf7ccfa60a06bd96f5c31b5017685d7.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Kawa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/peter_kawa/32/173848_2.png) [@Peter\_Kawa](https://community.homey.app/u/Peter_Kawa)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2026, 7:10pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-to-start-at-a-random-time-delay-between-two-periods/148921/16 "2026-01-11T19:10:47Z")
One observation, you overwrite the variable “Delay” every second… ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Nye](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/steve_nye/32/123396_2.png) [@Steve\_Nye](https://community.homey.app/u/Steve_Nye)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 5:06am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-to-start-at-a-random-time-delay-between-two-periods/148921/17 "2026-01-12T05:06:13Z")
I send or process the message before I overwrite the delay variable, which I hoped would give it sufficient time to be used. Or do I need to use a different variable each time but in that case why is the first attempt wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Kawa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/peter_kawa/32/173848_2.png) [@Peter\_Kawa](https://community.homey.app/u/Peter_Kawa)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 9:04pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-to-start-at-a-random-time-delay-between-two-periods/148921/18 "2026-01-12T21:04:46Z")
Oh, when the flow is only for tests, 1s delay should be more than enough. The issue I didn’t spot before: you omitted the comma as part of the random function; It should be entered between the start- and end values: ![Screenshot_20260112_215854_Homey](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/7/6/7620f89f18538a0a3eff6ea0980419ef8862d12a.jpeg) Results of starting this card a few times: ![Screenshot_20260112_221240_Homey](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/9/a/9a8e44745f4b66f1d514729b79ae4b035f86fc56.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Nye](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/steve_nye/32/123396_2.png) [@Steve\_Nye](https://community.homey.app/u/Steve_Nye)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 5:46am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-to-start-at-a-random-time-delay-between-two-periods/148921/19 "2026-01-13T05:46:44Z")
Thanks a lot really helpful.