diff --git a/src/items/item.cpp b/src/items/item.cpp
index 7f350a2..6f88544 100644
--- a/src/items/item.cpp
+++ b/src/items/item.cpp
@@ -161,34 +161,26 @@ Item& Item::operator=(const ItemData& other)
 
 void Item::requestUpdate(ItemUpdateRequest update)
 {
-	assert(update.type != ITEM_UPDATE_INVALID);
-	if(update.type != ITEM_UPDATE_LOADED && value_ == update.payload.getValue())
+	if(!hasChanged(update.payload))
 		return;
 
 	if(update.type == ITEM_UPDATE_ACTOR && override_)
 		return;
 
-	qDebug()<<"Item Update Request for"<<getName()<<" type "<<update.type<<" value "<<update.payload.getValue();
-
-	if(update.type != ITEM_UPDATE_LOADED &&
-		update.type != ITEM_UPDATE_BACKEND &&
-		(programMode == PROGRAM_MODE_PRIMARY || programMode == PROGRAM_MODE_HEADLESS_PRIMARY))
+	if(update.type != ITEM_UPDATE_LOADED
+	   && (programMode == PROGRAM_MODE_PRIMARY || programMode == PROGRAM_MODE_HEADLESS_PRIMARY))
 		enactValue(update.payload.getValue());
 
-	if(update.type != ITEM_UPDATE_LOADED)
+	*this = update.payload;
+	update.payload = *this;
+
+	if(update.type == ITEM_UPDATE_LOADED)
 	{
-		value_ = update.payload.getValue();
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		name_ = update.payload.getName();
-		//itemId_ = update.payload.id();
-		hidden_ = update.payload.isHidden();
 		actors_.clear();
 		for(std::shared_ptr<Actor>& actor : update.newActors)
 			addActor(actor);
 	}
-	update.payload = *this;
+
 	updated(update);
 }
 
@@ -294,7 +286,6 @@ ItemUpdateRequest Item::createValueUpdateRequest(uint8_t value,
                                                  bool withActors)
 {
 	ItemUpdateRequest update;
-	update.type = type;
 	update.payload = *this;
 	update.payload.setValueData(value);
 	if(withActors)
diff --git a/src/items/item.h b/src/items/item.h
index d461006..f88b8cf 100644
--- a/src/items/item.h
+++ b/src/items/item.h
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ typedef enum {
 	ITEM_UPDATE_ACTOR,
 	ITEM_UPDATE_REMOTE,
 	ITEM_UPDATE_LOADED,
-	ITEM_UPDATE_BACKEND,
-	ITEM_UPDATE_INVALID
+	ITEM_UPDATE_BACKEND
 } item_update_type_t;
 
 class ItemData
@@ -68,7 +67,7 @@ public:
 
 struct ItemUpdateRequest
 {
-	item_update_type_t type = ITEM_UPDATE_INVALID;
+	item_update_type_t type;
 	ItemData payload;
 	std::vector<std::shared_ptr<Actor> > newActors;
 };
diff --git a/src/items/itemstore.cpp b/src/items/itemstore.cpp
index 232d319..a14ae6f 100644
--- a/src/items/itemstore.cpp
+++ b/src/items/itemstore.cpp
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ void ItemStore::addItem(const std::shared_ptr<Item>& item, item_update_type_t up
 		ItemUpdateRequest request = item->createValueUpdateRequest(item->getValue(),
 		                                                           updateType,
 		                                                           updateType == ITEM_UPDATE_LOADED);
-		request.newActors = item->getActors();
 		updateItem(request);
 	}
 }
@@ -57,7 +56,6 @@ void ItemStore::removeItem(const ItemData& item)
 
 void ItemStore::replaceItems(const std::vector<std::shared_ptr<Item>>& items)
 {
-	qDebug()<<__func__;
 	addItems(items, ITEM_UPDATE_LOADED);
 	std::vector<ItemData> deletedItems;
 	for(std::shared_ptr<Item> item : items_)
@@ -88,6 +86,7 @@ void ItemStore::updateItem(const ItemUpdateRequest& update)
 		if(items_[i]->operator==(update.payload))
 		{
 			items_[i]->requestUpdate(update);
+			qDebug() << "Item" << items_[i]->getName() << "updated";
 			itemUpdated(update);
 		}
 	}
@@ -107,6 +106,7 @@ void ItemStore::store(QJsonObject& json)
 
 void ItemStore::itemUpdateSlot(ItemUpdateRequest update)
 {
+	qDebug() << "Item" << update.payload.getName() << "updated from update slot";
 	itemUpdated(update);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/microcontroller.cpp b/src/microcontroller.cpp
index 0bf8690..340bc6e 100644
--- a/src/microcontroller.cpp
+++ b/src/microcontroller.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 #include "microcontroller.h"
 
+#include <chrono>
+#include <thread>
+
 void Microcontroller::relayToggle(int state, int relay)
 {
 	char buffer[8];
@@ -46,34 +49,22 @@ void Microcontroller::setAuxPwm(int duty)
 
 void Microcontroller::write(const QByteArray& buffer)
 {
-	writeQue.enqueue(buffer);
-	if(!writeTimer.isActive())
+	if(_port != nullptr)
 	{
-		writeTimer.setInterval(0);
-		writeTimer.start();
+		_port->write(buffer);
+		_port->waitForBytesWritten(1000);
 	}
+	std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(40));
 }
 
 void Microcontroller::write(char* buffer, const size_t length)
 {
-	write(QByteArray(buffer, length));
-}
-
-void Microcontroller::onWriteTimerTimeout()
-{
-	writeTimer.setInterval(50);
-	if(connected())
+	if(_port != nullptr)
 	{
-		if(!writeQue.empty())
-		{
-			QByteArray data = writeQue.dequeue();
-			_port->write(data);
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			writeTimer.stop();
-		}
+		_port->write(buffer, length);
+		_port->waitForBytesWritten(1000);
 	}
+	std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(40));
 }
 
 void Microcontroller::setPattern(int pattern)
@@ -91,10 +82,8 @@ void Microcontroller::startSunrise()
 
 bool Microcontroller::connected()
 {
-	if(_port != nullptr)
-		return _port->isOpen();
-	else
-		return false;
+	if(_port != nullptr) return _port->isOpen();
+	else return false;
 }
 
 void Microcontroller::refresh()
@@ -104,17 +93,13 @@ void Microcontroller::refresh()
 
 //housekeeping
 
-Microcontroller::Microcontroller(QIODevice* port): Microcontroller()
+Microcontroller::Microcontroller(QIODevice* port)
 {
 	setIODevice(port);
 }
 
 Microcontroller::Microcontroller()
 {
-	writeTimer.setInterval(50);
-	writeTimer.setSingleShot(false);
-	connect(&writeTimer, &QTimer::timeout, this, &Microcontroller::onWriteTimerTimeout);
-	qDebug()<<__func__<<writeTimer.isActive();
 }
 
 Microcontroller::~Microcontroller()
diff --git a/src/microcontroller.h b/src/microcontroller.h
index c6d56bf..1845dc0 100644
--- a/src/microcontroller.h
+++ b/src/microcontroller.h
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@
 #include <QString>
 #include <QRunnable>
 #include <QDebug>
+#include <QEventLoop>
 #include <QTimer>
-#include <QByteArray>
-#include <QQueue>
+#include <QAbstractButton>
 #include <vector>
 #include <memory>
 #include "items/item.h"
@@ -32,12 +32,13 @@ private:
 
 	bool listMode = false;
 
+	//uint8_t _auxState = 0;
+
 	QIODevice* _port = nullptr;
-	QQueue<QByteArray> writeQue;
-	QTimer writeTimer;
 
 	std::vector< std::shared_ptr<Item> > relayList;
 
+	QScopedPointer<QEventLoop> loop;
 	QString _buffer;
 
 	void processMicroReturn();
@@ -74,7 +75,6 @@ public slots:
 private slots:
 
 	void isReadyRead();
-	void onWriteTimerTimeout();
 
 signals:
 	void textRecived(const QString string);