How to Monitor SSL Expiry in n8n with Telegram (Step-by-Step Guide)

Do you forget when your SSL certificates expire?

If yes, you are not alone.

Many developers and website owners face this problem. SSL expiry can break your website and cause downtime.

In this guide, you will learn:

How to monitor SSL expiry in n8n
How to send alerts to Telegram
How to build a simple automation workflow
How to format a clean table message

This guide is very simple. Even beginners can follow it.

What You Will Build

You will create a system that:

• Runs every day at Anytime
• Checks SSL expiry using Certbot
• Sends a Telegram message
• Shows data in a clean table format

Requirements

Before starting, make sure you have:

• n8n installed
• VPS with Certbot installed
• Telegram account
• Basic idea of workflows

Step 1: Create a Telegram Bot

1. Open Telegram
2. Search BotFather
3. Send: /newbot
4. Follow steps and get your Bot Token

Step 2: Get Your Chat ID

1. Open your bot
2. Send: /start
3. Open this URL: https://api.telegram.org/botYOUR_BOT_TOKEN/getUpdates
4. Copy your chat id

Step 3: Create n8n Workflow

Open n8n and create a new workflow.

Step 3.1: Add Cron Trigger

• Add Cron Node
• Set:
  • Every day
  • Time: 6 PM

Step 3.2: Add Execute Command Node

Add a node:

Execute Command

Command: sudo certbot certificates

⚠️ Important Note

Make sure this works without password: sudo certbot certificates

Step 4: Build Report (Code Node)

Now we convert raw data into a table.

Add Code / Function node

Paste this code:

👉 (In your real blog, keep full code)

This code:

• extracts domain name
• gets expiry date
• calculates days left
• creates a table

Step 5: Send Message using HTTP Request

Instead of Telegram node, we use HTTP Request.

Setup:

Method: POST

Fields:

Step 6: Final Output

Your Telegram message will look like this: SSL Expiry Report

Common Errors & Fixes

Error: chat not found

Fix:

• Send /start to bot
• Use correct chat_id

Error: No output

Fix:

• Check certbot command
• Check sudo permission

Error: HTTP request failed

Fix:

• Check bot token
• Check URL

Pro Tips

• Add emoji for warnings (🔴, 🟡)
• Sort by days left
• Add alert for < 7 days
• Save logs

Why This Method is Powerful

• Fully automated
• No manual checking
• Works for multiple domains
• Easy to scale

Conclusion

Now you know how to monitor SSL expiry in n8n with Telegram.

You built a real automation system that:

• saves time
• prevents downtime
• keeps your websites safe

FAQ

Q1: Can I run this without n8n?

Yes, you can use cron + Python script.

Q2: Can I monitor multiple servers?

Yes, use SSH or API.

Q3: Can I send email instead of Telegram?

Yes, replace HTTP node with email node.