Introduction: Using HomeLink With Unsupported Garage Door Openers

I live in an apartment building and I recently got homelink installed in my car. Unfortunately, the garage remote they gave me uses this maxSecure connection that doesn't support homelink. So I decided to find a workaround.

Supplies

  1. You first need a 12v RF relay that you can pair with homelink: (I chose this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01A6VOI6Y/ref=...
  2. you would also need a 12v cigarette lighter power adapter to power it from the car (I chose this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P8PZBCK/ref=...

Step 1: Attaching Wires to the Garage Remote Button

You need to open up your garage remote and find the button that opens the garage door to solder 2 small wires to both terminals (make sure battery is removed). be careful that most remote buttons would use a 4 legged push button so you need to solder the wires between the top and bottom legs (see the picture and test for continuity with a multimeter) i used a 7$ soldering iron for this so the joints aren't the best but its solid.

Step 2: Close the Garage's Remote

Try to route the wires outside of the remote and close it up, make sure the button still works when pressed and the remote's led flashes when you touch the 2 wires together.

Step 3: Connecting to the RF Relay

Open up the RF relay and connect power and the 2 wires from the remote (to NO and COM terminals) following the instructions that came with it, should look something like this:

Step 4: Configuring the RF Relay

You now need to go to the car to change the relay mode to a momentarily switch following its instructions as well as re-pairing the remotes that came with it. when thats done tests that the relay clicks and your garage door remote flashes when you press the relay's remote.

Step 5: Close Up the RF Relay Box

If its all good, close the RF relay back up and store it in the center console, might be helpful to seal the wires and the relay box with hot glue so the wires wont come loose.

Step 6: Program Homelink

Program the relay remote to homelink and you are done.

Basically what this is doing is making the RF relay listen for the signal coming from homelink closing the circuit between the remote button terminals which is exactly what happens when you press the button yourself. Best part is that this costs about $18 and works on any garage door opener as along as it has a physical remote.