diff --git a/FlippR-Driver/src/PinController.cpp b/FlippR-Driver/src/PinController.cpp
index 4308774..ee1b9f2 100644
--- a/FlippR-Driver/src/PinController.cpp
+++ b/FlippR-Driver/src/PinController.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ void PinController::initialize_port_expander(const uint8_t i2c_address, const ui
   char hex_string[4];
   sprintf(hex_string, "%X", i2c_address);
   CLOG(INFO, OUTPUT_LOGGER) << "MCP23017 initialized with i2c-address 0x" << hex_string << " and pin-base " << int(pin_base);
-  ;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/FlippR-Driver/src/output/OutputDriverFactory.cpp b/FlippR-Driver/src/output/OutputDriverFactory.cpp
index 17962cd..a147fe1 100644
--- a/FlippR-Driver/src/output/OutputDriverFactory.cpp
+++ b/FlippR-Driver/src/output/OutputDriverFactory.cpp
@@ -131,9 +131,7 @@ std::map<std::string, std::shared_ptr<items::Lamp>> create_lamps(std::istream &l
   lamp_config >> lamp_config_json;
 
   json port_extenders = get_element("port_extenders", lamp_config_json, "lamp_config.json");
-
   initialize_port_extenders(port_extenders, pin_controller.get(), "lamp_config.json");
-
   json solenoids_json = get_element("lamps", lamp_config_json, "lamp_config.json");
 
   std::map<std::string, std::shared_ptr<items::Lamp>> lamps;
@@ -164,11 +162,8 @@ std::map<std::string, std::shared_ptr<items::Sound>> create_sounds(std::istream
   sound_config >> sound_config_json;
 
   json port_extenders = get_element("port_extenders", sound_config_json, "sound_config.json");
-
   initialize_port_extenders(port_extenders, pin_controller.get(), "sound_config.json");
-
   std::chrono::milliseconds deactivation_time{ get_value<int>("deactivation_time_milliseconds", sound_config_json, "solenoid_config.json") };
-
   json sounds_json = get_element("sounds", sound_config_json, "sound_config.json");
 
   std::map<std::string, std::shared_ptr<items::Sound>> sounds;
@@ -302,8 +297,6 @@ void initialize_port_extenders(json &port_extenders, PinController * pin_control
 
 uint8_t get_pin_base(json & object, json & port_extenders, const std::string & config_file_name)
 {
-  uint8_t pin_base{ 0 };
-
   if(object.find("extender") != object.end())
   {
     auto extender_name = get_value<std::string>("extender", object, config_file_name);
@@ -312,11 +305,20 @@ uint8_t get_pin_base(json & object, json & port_extenders, const std::string & c
       auto actual_extender = get_value<std::string>("name", extender, config_file_name);
       if (actual_extender == extender_name)
       {
-        pin_base = get_value<uint8_t>("pin_base", extender, config_file_name);
+        try
+        {
+          return extender.at("pin_base").get<uint8_t >();
+        }
+        catch(json::exception &e)
+        {
+          CLOG(INFO, OUTPUT_LOGGER) << "pin_base not set for " << extender_name << " in " << config_file_name;
+          return 0;
+        }
       }
     }
   }
-  return pin_base;
+  CLOG(INFO, OUTPUT_LOGGER) << "Extender not set for " << object << " in " << config_file_name;
+  return 0;
 }
 
 json get_element(const std::string & name, json & object, const std::string & file_name)
diff --git a/FlippR-Driver/src/output/items/detail/Flipper.cpp b/FlippR-Driver/src/output/items/detail/Flipper.cpp
index 8c173f8..2ca9852 100644
--- a/FlippR-Driver/src/output/items/detail/Flipper.cpp
+++ b/FlippR-Driver/src/output/items/detail/Flipper.cpp
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ namespace detail
 Flipper::Flipper(std::shared_ptr<DriverBoardPinController> pin_controller, const uint8_t & address, const uint8_t & pin_base, const std::string & name) :
   Item(std::move(name)), DriverBoardItem(pin_controller, address, pin_base), pin_controller(std::move(pin_controller))
 {
-//  CLOG(INFO, OUTPUT_LOGGER) << "Created Flipper relay " << this->name << " with address " << this->address;
+  //CLOG(INFO , OUTPUT_LOGGER) << "Created flipper \"" << name << "\" with pin-base " << int(pin_base) << " and address " << int(address);
 }
 
 Flipper::~Flipper()
diff --git a/FlippR-Driver/src/output/items/detail/Lamp.cpp b/FlippR-Driver/src/output/items/detail/Lamp.cpp
index 08ad1f0..6f6e77a 100644
--- a/FlippR-Driver/src/output/items/detail/Lamp.cpp
+++ b/FlippR-Driver/src/output/items/detail/Lamp.cpp
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ Lamp::Lamp(std::shared_ptr<DriverBoardPinController> pin_controller, const uint8
   activated(false),
   activation_time(10)
 {
- // CLOG(INFO, OUTPUT_LOGGER) << "Created lamp " << name << " with address " << address;
+  //CLOG(INFO , OUTPUT_LOGGER) << "Created lamp \"" << name << "\" with pin-base " << int(pin_base) << " and address " << int(address);
 }
 
 void Lamp::activate()
diff --git a/FlippR-Driver/src/output/items/detail/Sound.cpp b/FlippR-Driver/src/output/items/detail/Sound.cpp
index 714db62..ed1dfbf 100644
--- a/FlippR-Driver/src/output/items/detail/Sound.cpp
+++ b/FlippR-Driver/src/output/items/detail/Sound.cpp
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ namespace detail
 Sound::Sound(std::shared_ptr<SoundBoardPinController> pin_controller, const uint8_t & address, const uint8_t & pin_base, const std::string & name, const std::chrono::milliseconds & deactivation_time, const u_int id)
 : detail::Item(std::move(name)), DriverBoardItem(pin_controller, address, pin_base), pin_controller(std::move(pin_controller)), deactivation_time(deactivation_time), id(id)
 {
-//  CLOG(INFO, OUTPUT_LOGGER) << "Created sound " << id << " with name " << name << " and address " << address;
+  //CLOG(INFO , OUTPUT_LOGGER) << "Created sound \"" << name << "\" with pin-base " << int(pin_base) << " and address " << int(address);
 }
 
 void Sound::play()