My ex lives in a gated community that she has a garage door opener she uses to open the gates. I’m looking to buy an opener that allows me to clone hers so that I also have access since my kids live there 50% of the time.

Which sounds shady I know, but there is a legit reason. They have a call box for guests to call a resident to get buzzed in but for some reason the system rarely works and the HoA refuses to do anything about it. This means I’m often unable to get in and she has to drive up to the gate to use her remote. Which normally is fine but I’m uncomfortable not being able to get to my kids in case of an emergency. They are old enough to stay home alone and sometimes do, and if they are home and the buzz-in system isn’t working then I have no way to get them.

She has petitioned the HoA to get an extra remote but she’s living with her parents and they already have one more remote than the rules allow, so the HoA is refusing. So now I just want to clone hers.

Does anyone have experience with any devices. I’ve found some online but the reviews aren’t very good for the ones I have found.

What kind of vehicle do you have? Do you have built in homelink/garage openers your headliner?

Where in Florida are you?

Reason I ask, we have a great guy (referred by bigdeal) here in the Orlando area, takes care of any problems with our garage door opener.

He might be able to help with this.

quote:

Originally posted by gpbst3:
What kind of vehicle do you have? Do you have built in homelink/garage openers your headliner?

That’s what I was thinking. My truck has 3 in the RV mirror.

Is your ex okay with you having that kind of access and if so, why can't she ask for an additional remote which she can use while bicycle riding?

If your ex is not okay with it, where are your ethics located and why destroy her trust in you? Plus, your action may result in a restraining order and your inability to visit your kids.

quote:

Originally posted by LS1 GTO:

Is your ex okay with you having that kind of access and if so, why can't she ask for an additional remote which she can use while bicycle riding?

If your ex is not okay with it, where are your ethics located and why destroy her trust in you? Plus, your action may result in a restraining order and your inability to visit your kids.

In the original post, Pale Horse stated that his ex had requested an additional remote, presumably for this purpose, but the HOA refused the request.

Have you tried looking inside the battery compartment to see if it’s just dip switches controlling the frequency? If so, buying the same brand/model remote and using the same settings is all you need to do.

quote:

Originally posted by gpbst3:

What kind of vehicle do you have? Do you have built in homelink/garage openers your headliner?

If I remember correctly, when we programmed the homelink thingy in my car, the "learn" button on the opener control unit had to be pressed. I'll bet that there is no "learn" button accessible, on the gate opener in Pale Horse's case.

quote:

Originally posted by LS1 GTO:
Is your ex okay with you having that kind of access and if so, why can't she ask for an additional remote which she can use while bicycle riding?

If your ex is not okay with it, where are your ethics located and why destroy her trust in you? Plus, your action may result in a restraining order and your inability to visit your kids.

She’s totally okay with it, as are her parents.

As I stated in the OP she has asked for an additional remote but since she is living with her parents they already have one extra remote and the HoA has refused to give another one.

My ex, her parents and I are still close. I’m staying at their house on Christmas Eve so that we are all with the kids when they wake up. Shortly after that her and I are taking the kids to Disney for a week and even sharing a hotel room. There’s no trust being broken and I wouldn’t think of doing this without their knowledge and blessing.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
Where in Florida are you?

Reason I ask, we have a great guy (referred by bigdeal) here in the Orlando area, takes care of any problems with our garage door opener.

He might be able to help with this.

I’m near Sarasota but I’m in Orlando often enough. I’ll send you an email if you could give me his contact info that would be great.

Thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by gpbst3:
What kind of vehicle do you have? Do you have built in homelink/garage openers your headliner?

Nah, unfortunately I’m cheap as hell and drive a 98 pickup and a 99 SUV. My pickup doesn’t even have electric windows .

quote:

Originally posted by P210:
Have you tried looking inside the battery compartment to see if it’s just dip switches controlling the frequency? If so, buying the same brand/model remote and using the same settings is all you need to do.

I have not, I’ll look tomorrow when I pick the kids up. Thanks!

You have to be able to get to the "learn" button on the opener to program a new remote. Then it is easy.....

quote:

Originally posted by Pale Horse:

quote:

Originally posted by P210:
Have you tried looking inside the battery compartment to see if it’s just dip switches controlling the frequency? If so, buying the same brand/model remote and using the same settings is all you need to do.

I have not, I’ll look tomorrow when I pick the kids up. Thanks!

Please let us know.

That HOA sounds like they have some strange policies. The gated community where I live, we can habe multiple openers as long as we are willing to pay for them. They were originally $35 each but inflation has hit us, they are now $50. Ours are not like garage door remotes, they are more like E-Pass transponders.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
Ours are not like garage door remotes, they are more like E-Pass transponders.

OP’s probably are too but it doesn’t hurt to check since there’s a lot of dip switch stuff still out there and it’s an easy fix.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
Please let us know.

That HOA sounds like they have some strange policies. The gated community where I live, we can habe multiple openers as long as we are willing to pay for them. They were originally $35 each but inflation has hit us, they are now $50. Ours are not like garage door remotes, they are more like E-Pass transponders.

It’s kind of a weird situation because it’s a new development and the developer just handed control to the HoA. So the rule was really the developers rule and the HoA is still finding their way. From what I understand the are a lot of problems right now and they HoA is broke because the developer made a bunch of commitments so I think they have bigger fish to fry right now.

quote:

Originally posted by P210:

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
Ours are not like garage door remotes, they are more like E-Pass transponders.

OP’s probably are too but it doesn’t hurt to check since there’s a lot of dip switch stuff still out there and it’s an easy fix.

Theirs is a garage door opener, it’s actually the same remote they use to open their garage door, just a separate button on that remote.

quote:

Originally posted by Pale Horse:

quote:

Originally posted by gpbst3:
What kind of vehicle do you have? Do you have built in homelink/garage openers your headliner?

Nah, unfortunately I’m cheap as hell and drive a 98 pickup and a 99 SUV. My pickup doesn’t even have electric windows .

You can add a Homelink device to your truck. Amazon has this piece for $150:

https://www.amazon.com/HomeLin...r/dp/B00A79G9FY?th=1

I have sold and installed these in the past, though not recently. You can also get a replacement mirror with Homelink built in, but that would cost more. I can check my cost on a unit, but I probably can't save you any money, as retail is $250-Amazon price is probably pretty close to my cost through a distributor.

It's a fairly easy install; needs ignition and ground wires, and comes with template to cut out your headliner to make a flush install.

Here's a link to the company's page where you can check compatibility with the brand of gate opener they use:

https://homelink.com/compatible/products


You can also buy an OEM homelink piece that was pulled from a vehicle on eBay for around $30. I'm sure those would work too, but the one I showed you above is designed for adding aftermarket, so mounting will be simpler. However, you could buy a pulled one on eBay, wire it up but just leave it in your glove box.

Let me know if you have any questions.

EDIT: The eBay piece might not have the same compatibility as the new unit. Some of those are old and may not work with newer garage or gate openers.

This may fall under "Captain Obvious", but do the cars driven by your ex-wife or in-laws have Homelink? A lot of newer cars do, and they may just be unaware. If so, you could program their car and then use the then unneeded remote yourself.

quote:

Originally posted by honestly:

This may fall under "Captain Obvious", but do the cars driven by your ex-wife or in-laws have Homelink? A lot of newer cars do, and they may just be unaware. If so, you could program their car and then use the then unneeded remote yourself.

Don't you have to have access to the "learn" button on the gate opener in order to program homelink?