diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index 2df2789..76e02f6 100644
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from string import whitespace
 import time
 from datetime import datetime
+import os
 try:
     import paho.mqtt.client as mqtt
     import gpiozero
@@ -25,17 +26,11 @@ def error_print(message: str):
 
 #relay
 def relay_controller(pin: int, state: str):
-    GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
-    GPIO.setup(pin, GPIO.OUT)
     if state == "True":
-        # relay = gpiozero.OutputDevice(pin, active_high=False, initial_value=False)
-        # relay.on()
-        GPIO.output(pin, GPIO.LOW)
+        os.system('echo "1" > /sys/class/gpio/gpio'+str(pin)+'/value')
         debug_print("Set relay-pin "+str(pin)+" to state True")
     elif state == "False":
-        # relay = gpiozero.OutputDevice(pin, active_high=False, initial_value=False)
-        # relay.off()
-        GPIO.output(pin, GPIO.HIGH)
+        os.system('echo "0" > /sys/class/gpio/gpio'+str(pin)+'/value')
         debug_print("Set relay-pin "+str(pin)+" to state False")
     else:
         error_print("Unknown state ("+state+") for relay channel "+str(pin))
@@ -116,6 +111,11 @@ def mqtt_on_message(client, userdata, msg):
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
+    relay_channels = ["19", "16", "26", "20"]
+    for channel in relay_channels:
+        os.system('echo "'+channel+'" /sys/class/gpio/export')
+        os.system('echo "out" > /sys/class/gpio/gpio'+channel+'/direction')
+
     mqttBroker ="homeassistant.ping-mee.local"
     client = mqtt.Client("greenhouse_client")
     client.username_pw_set("mqtt", "pmMQTT_11!")
@@ -134,4 +134,6 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
             debug_print("Published current water level: "+get_water_level())
             time.sleep(1)
     except KeyboardInterrupt:
+        for channel in relay_channels:
+            os.system('echo "'+channel+'" > /sys/class/gpio/unexport')
         GPIO.cleanup()
\ No newline at end of file