Any idea where to get a PS3 controller put back together?

[Craig234]

PS3 controllers have a crappy design, with a battery that might last a couple years and then you're supposed to replace the controller.

But they can have the battery replaced; open it up, replace battery, put it back together. Turns out, that's not so easy.

So I'd pay someone a modest fee to put one back together - $5 or $10 - but don't know anywhere that would do this. Gamestop won't. Anyone know of this?

I could try a computer repair shop, but don't think they're used to this and would probably have minimum charges as much as a new controller.

I might try craigslist.

 

[DaveSimmons]

If you have a long enough USB cable you could make it into a wired controller just by leaving it plugged in all the time, but you probably already realized that.

No idea about the actual question.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

I imagine you'd probably have to spend more to get the controller back together than you would to buy a new one, since it's such a specialized niche as to essentially not exist. I've dropped a PS3 controller and broken the internal rumbler, so I agree that it's obnoxious that you have to replace rather than repair them, but that's the way it goes, I guess.

 

[JackBurton]

Am I understanding the question correctly? Are you saying the controller is hard to take apart and put back together? I actually took apart both of my controllers to clean them thoroughly and disconnected the battery to make it easier once I had it open. It wasn't hard.

Am I missing something here?

 

[SonicIce]

looks like regular phillips screws. the battery is a lithium pack with a plug-in connector and i saw one for $5 on amazon. i dont see how it could be any easier unless you never touched a screwdriver in your life.

 

[Craig234]

looks like regular phillips screws. the battery is a lithium pack with a plug-in connector and i saw one for $5 on amazon. i dont see how it could be any easier unless you never touched a screwdriver in your life.

Opening it was easy. I didn't say it wasn't.

Once opened, pieces came off, there's some little green sensor material sticking out, it's not clear where some things go.

The fact you mixed up my saying 'put it back together' with how easy it is to open with a screwdriver, well, I don't see how it could be easier to understand what I wrote.

 

[Drako]

Opening it was easy. I didn't say it wasn't.

Once opened, pieces came off, there's some little green sensor material sticking out, it's not clear where some things go.

The fact you mixed up my saying 'put it back together' with how easy it is to open with a screwdriver, well, I don't see how it could be easier to understand what I wrote.

http://www.supergluecorp.com/ or just buy a new one.

 

[magomago]

the controllers only last a couple of years? waaa? i know many people with heavy ps3 usage since the console came out and they never replaced their controllers. I've had my ps3 slim for a couple o years (almost 2 years since it came out) and i haven't noticed anything at all

 

[chalmers]

looks like regular phillips screws. the battery is a lithium pack with a plug-in connector and i saw one for $5 on amazon. i dont see how it could be any easier unless you never touched a screwdriver in your life.

Look at his sig, it's fairly obvious he's one of those guys. Let's just move along.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I broke one of my PS3 controllers and had to take it apart to fix it. It was a PITA for sure, but if I can do it, just about anyone can.

 

[Craig234]

So we have superglue, a person who attacks a sig that might inform him, someone who was able to put theirs back together (who knows how much came apart), a battery that lasted longer than mine. Nothing helpful, following posts that unscrewing the screws is easy (ya, it is).

DaveSimmons, it stopped working even when plugged in (after a period of having the 'low battery' light flashing while plugged in).

 

[Ross Ridge]

Whether you think it's helpful or not, the best advice you're going to get is to either fix it yourself or throw it out and buy a new one. No one is going to fix for you for only $10.

 

[Syborg1211]

One of the bumper springs in my controller broke so I went in there and replaced it with a spring from a floppy disk.

The only thing that is tricky when putting the controllers back together are the triggers. Those are the only things that aren't secured to the controller when you crack it open. With patience, getting these in isn't a difficult task. I wouldn't say this is much more difficult than changing the battery in a watch.

If you live in the Austin TX area, I'll fix it for 10 dollars and it will be the easiest 10 dollars I've ever made.

 

[brblx]

man up, dude. you're probably just not assembling things in the right order.

i can't claim familiary with PS3 controller guts, but i'd be willing to offer help. maybe post of pic of what you've got- this kind of shit usually just comes down to figuring out how they stuck it together at the factory. if there's a spring or something fighting you, you're probably going about it wrong.

edit: not just blowing smoke, btw, i've taken apart about every controller i've owned, heh. just not sony stuff.

you want shitty, try reassembly a set of fanatec 911 pedals. D: took three of us. fanatec plant surely has access to magic.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

One of the bumper springs in my controller broke so I went in there and replaced it with a spring from a floppy disk.

That was the tricky part for me. I took mine apart to fix it (long story) and didn't realize those springs were there and when I pulled it apart, parts went EVERYWHERE! I don't have the best hands in the world anymore but I was unusually patient (for me) and managed to put it back together.

 

[pontifex]

So we have superglue, a person who attacks a sig that might inform him, someone who was able to put theirs back together (who knows how much came apart), a battery that lasted longer than mine. Nothing helpful, following posts that unscrewing the screws is easy (ya, it is).

DaveSimmons, it stopped working even when plugged in (after a period of having the 'low battery' light flashing while plugged in).

you have lifer status and you're just now realizing this?

 

[slayer202]

so you didn't just open it, you broke it. try searching for a guide online, cuz you won't find someone who will rebuild it for you

 

[Tristicus]

a person who attacks a sig that might inform him

Everybody should read this man's signature to realize how clueless he and his leaders really are.

 

[Craig234]

so you didn't just open it, you broke it. try searching for a guide online, cuz you won't find someone who will rebuild it for you

No, I just opened it. What is your reading difficulty?

 

[Chaosblade02]

I could probably fix your PS3 controller, they aren't hard to take apart and repair. All you need is a Philips screwdriver, when you take the parts out, lay them out in a way so you know exactly where they go. Although you shouldn't need to completely disassemble it just to get to the battery. Just take the screws out and the battery should be somewhere on the back of the circuit board. Lay the pad face down and then take the back off of it so the buttons and parts don't fall out on you.

 

[Googer]

Search youtube for a tutorial

 

[Sonikku]

You seriously need to throw away Playstation controllers after only a couple years? Why the heck do they make you jump through hoops with screws and parts trying to take one apart to replace the battery when they just could have had a detachable battery pack like in the 360?

 

[Googer]

You seriously need to throw away Playstation controllers after only a couple years? Why the heck do they make you jump through hoops with screws and parts trying to take one apart to replace the battery when they just could have had a detachable battery pack like in the 360?

Batteries don't go bad that often. I still have my original sixaxis controller that came with my launch date 60gb and the controller will still go a week on charge.

A detachable battery adds excess bulk to the exterior of the controller which may hinder ergonomics of the traditional Playstation controller shape that is sort of important for backwards compatibility.

Also, with XBOX, the wireless cotrollers cost more and so do the batteries. With PS3, the wireless and battery are included at a lower cost (which may be another reason for its intergration).

 

[brblx]

is this still going on? just mail me the damn thing and i'll put it together for free.