diff --git a/www-api/app/Models/BackendModel.php b/www-api/app/Models/BackendModel.php
index 31d8746b..fd11bd7c 100644
--- a/www-api/app/Models/BackendModel.php
+++ b/www-api/app/Models/BackendModel.php
@@ -5,22 +5,21 @@ use CodeIgniter\Model;
 class BackendModel extends Model
 {
 
-    var $thisUser = 'oameye';
-    var $USER = '';
-    var $wrenchboard;
     const DEBUG_API_CALLS = true;
-
-    function __construct() {
-
-        $this->USER = $_SERVER['SCRIPT_FILENAME'];
-        $this->USER = str_replace('/home', '', $this->USER);
-        $this->USER = strtok($this->USER, '/');
-        if ($this->USER == 'opt') {
-            $this->USER = 'root';
-        }
-        $this->thisUser = $this->USER;
+    public $wrenchboard;
+    public $USER = 'root';
+    public function __construct()
+    {
+        $USER = $_SERVER['SCRIPT_FILENAME'];
+        $USER = str_replace('/home', '', $USER);
+        $USER = strtok($USER, '/');
+        if ($USER=='opt') $USER = 'root';
+        // Load API class
+        $USER = 'root';
+        $this->USER = $USER;
     }
 
+
     public function wrenchboard_api($in, $out = array()) {
         $this->wrenchboard_load();
         if (!is_array($in)) {