diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index ec3aeae..bd9409c 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@uci/i2c-device",
-  "version": "0.1.4",
+  "version": "0.1.13",
   "description": "Device Classes for I2C Interfacing",
   "main": "src/device",
   "scripts": {
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@
   },
   "homepage": "https://github.com/uCOMmandIt/i2c#readme",
   "dependencies": {
-    "@uci/base": "^0.1.8",
-    "@uci/logger": "0.0.6"
+    "@uci/base": "^0.1.16",
+    "@uci-utils/logger": "0.0.13"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "chai": "^4.1.2",
diff --git a/src/bus-device-commands.js b/src/bus-device-commands.js
index bdc1898..e40022b 100644
--- a/src/bus-device-commands.js
+++ b/src/bus-device-commands.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+// TODO add uci logging debug
+
 export default {
 
   ack: async function (){
@@ -5,7 +7,7 @@ export default {
     let bus = await this.send('bus',{ cmd:'scan'})
     if (bus.error) return bus
     let res = { cmd:'reply', ack: false, address:this.address, scan:bus.response}
-    if (bus.response.indexOf(this.address) !== -1) res.ack = true
+    if (bus.response.indexOf(+this.address) !== -1) res.ack = true
     return res
   },
 
@@ -33,13 +35,13 @@ export default {
   // both cmd and byte should be a single byte as a decimal or hex
   read: async function (cmd) {
     await this._setChannel()
-    // console.log('after set before read',this.address,this.id,this._channel,await this.socket.bus.send(getState)
+    // console.log('after set before read',this.address,this.id,cmd)
     return await this.send('bus',{ cmd:'read', args: {address:this.address, cmd:cmd }})
   },
 
   write: async function (cmd, byte) {
     await this._setChannel()
-    // console.log('after set, before write',this.address,this.id,this._channel,await this.socket.bus.send(getState)
+    // console.log('after set, before write',this.address,this.id,cmd,byte)
     return await this.send('bus',{ cmd:'write', args: {address:this.address, cmd:cmd, byte:byte }})
   },
 
diff --git a/src/device.js b/src/device.js
index a10270f..f23ca56 100644
--- a/src/device.js
+++ b/src/device.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import Base from '@uci/base'
 // import Base from '../../uci-base/src/base'
 import commands from './bus-device-commands'
 // import logger from '../../uci-logger/src/logger'
-import logger from '@uci/logger'
+import logger from '@uci-utils/logger'
 let log = {}
 
 class I2CDevice extends Base {
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ class I2CDevice extends Base {
       id: this.id
     })
     if (!opts.address) log.fatal({ opts: opts }, 'no i2c bus address supplied')
-    this.address = opts.address
-    this._channel = opts.channel // if using TAC9546A channel number on which device is attached
+    this.address = +opts.address  // make sure any passed number is number not a string
+    this._channel = +opts.channel // if using TAC9546A channel number on which device is attached
     this.bus = this.bindFuncs(commands)
   }
 
@@ -34,12 +34,11 @@ class I2CDevice extends Base {
     let res = await this.bus.ack()
     let socket = this.socket.bus.opts
     let connection = socket.path || socket.host + ':' + socket.port
-    if (!res.ack)
-      throw `no device operational on bus '${
-        socket.id
-      }' (${connection}) at address ${this.address}=0x${this.address.toString(
-        16
-      )}`
+    if (!res.ack) {
+      let err ={error:'ack', res:res, socket:socket, connection:connection, address:this.address, msg:`no bus or device on bus at address ${this.address}=0x${this.address.toString(16)}`}
+      log.warn(err)
+      return err
+    }
     return res
   }