Looking For PS3 Controller

[Quazimoto]

Howdy Alll.  Just a quick question...

Does anyone happen to have a genuine SONY brand PS3 Dualshock 3 controller (or two) they're looking to get rid of?

One if mine recently started to randomly scroll on its own and even after disassembling and giving it a deep clean, it's still doing it from to to time (usually just when I first turn it on, then it stops).  Figured I'd check here before buying one online as is trust the folks here way before some random eBay or Amazon seller.  Am PayPal ready, so just let me know.  Would prefer a pink one, but any color will do.  

Also happy to talk price if you've got a good system to sell.

[Tech13]

Sorry those are like Gold around my area. They sell for $75 per controller and that is in bad condition. New in the box is something like $110 per controller.

[ShoothimNow]

I've got like 15, but between poor buttons and dead batteries, they are basically useless

[marioxb]

What made official PS3 controllers so hard to come by for a decent price? They are only one generation old.

[Quazimoto]

@Tech13...  Wow!  They really sell for that much?  Guess I should probably just buy a couple online and hope for the best.

@ShoothimNow...  Poor buttons can be tricky to fix.  Sometimes a good cleaning does the trick.  Sometimes the contacts are just worn out.  But, if it's just dead batteries, that really easy to replace honestly.  Only have to take the back off and plug a new one in really.

@marioxb... I think it's generally the overabundance of knockoff and generic controllers that makes the official ones hard to find.  Can be very hard to tell a fake sometimes as the outer shells can be nearly identical to genuine ones visually.  So, unless you can see and feel it in person or open it up and look inside, you're taking a gamble. 

[Megatron]

Sadly, I don't have any to sell you - but download the Mercari app.  (just search Mercari in the ap store).  I use that thing all the time.  Frequently better prices than ebay. 

[Quazimoto]

Sadly, I don't have any to sell you - but download the Mercari app.  (just search Mercari in the ap store).  I use that thing all the time.  Frequently better prices than ebay. 

Thanks.  I'll look into that. 

[Quazimoto]

Update:  Think I figured out what was making my controller malfunction.  For those that don't know... the Dualshock 3 controllers have a little piece of foam that keeps the ribbon cable (don't know if that's the right term though) in contact with the circuit board.  This ribbon is responsible for alerting the circuit board when buttons are pressed.  Unfortunately, the foam that holds it in place can weaken over time, causing the ribbon cable to not always make perfect contact, thus leading to random and phantom button presses.  Fortunately, it's a pretty easy fix.  All you really have to do is thicken the foam up a smidge with a layer or two of duct or electrical tape on the bottom.

I did that and the controller works perfectly again.  Sadly, I seem to have made it a little too thick and silly me ripped the original foam piece trying to fix the over-thickness.  So, I ordered a couple busted controllers on super cheap on eBay to harvest parts from to get the right size of that foam piece again.

[TDIRunner]

Luckily I have not had to do this with any of my PS3 controllers yet.  However, I have a box of PS2 controllers that have one thing or another wrong with them.  I plan to clean them out someday, but since PS2 controllers are so cheap, and I have so many, I'm not in a big rush to mess with them. 

[Tech13]

Update:  Think I figured out what was making my controller malfunction.  For those that don't know... the Dualshock 3 controllers have a little piece of foam that keeps the ribbon cable (don't know if that's the right term though) in contact with the circuit board.  This ribbon is responsible for alerting the circuit board when buttons are pressed.  Unfortunately, the foam that holds it in place can weaken over time, causing the ribbon cable to not always make perfect contact, thus leading to random and phantom button presses.  Fortunately, it's a pretty easy fix.  All you really have to do is thicken the foam up a smidge with a layer or two of duct or electrical tape on the bottom.

I did that and the controller works perfectly again.  Sadly, I seem to have made it a little too thick and silly me ripped the original foam piece trying to fix the over-thickness.  So, I ordered a couple busted controllers on super cheap on eBay to harvest parts from to get the right size of that foam piece again.

So someone with a 3d printer should make an exact plastic replacement part.

[Quazimoto]

Update:  Think I figured out what was making my controller malfunction.  For those that don't know... the Dualshock 3 controllers have a little piece of foam that keeps the ribbon cable (don't know if that's the right term though) in contact with the circuit board.  This ribbon is responsible for alerting the circuit board when buttons are pressed.  Unfortunately, the foam that holds it in place can weaken over time, causing the ribbon cable to not always make perfect contact, thus leading to random and phantom button presses.  Fortunately, it's a pretty easy fix.  All you really have to do is thicken the foam up a smidge with a layer or two of duct or electrical tape on the bottom.

I did that and the controller works perfectly again.  Sadly, I seem to have made it a little too thick and silly me ripped the original foam piece trying to fix the over-thickness.  So, I ordered a couple busted controllers on super cheap on eBay to harvest parts from to get the right size of that foam piece again.

So someone with a 3d printer should make an exact plastic replacement part.

Not a bad idea.  If I had a 3D printer, I'd give it a shot myself, but I don't so I cant.

[ShoothimNow]

I have one, but I am sure Mr. JabbaTheHutt will beat me to the process by creating something in gold.

Luckily I have not had to do this with any of my PS3 controllers yet.  However, I have a box of PS2 controllers that have one thing or another wrong with them.  I plan to clean them out someday, but since PS2 controllers are so cheap, and I have so many, I'm not in a big rush to mess with them. 

This is exactly why I have so many PS3 controllers.  If all it is is the ribbon cable support, I can see what I can do in either ABS, PLA, or Flex from the 3d printer

[Tech13]

I have one, but I am sure Mr. JabbaTheHutt will beat me to the process by creating something in gold.

Luckily I have not had to do this with any of my PS3 controllers yet.  However, I have a box of PS2 controllers that have one thing or another wrong with them.  I plan to clean them out someday, but since PS2 controllers are so cheap, and I have so many, I'm not in a big rush to mess with them. 

This is exactly why I have so many PS3 controllers.  If all it is is the ribbon cable support, I can see what I can do in either ABS, PLA, or Flex from the 3d printer

WOO HOO! Lets see what we can do to help the entire community out.

[wiggy]

I have one, but I am sure Mr. JabbaTheHutt will beat me to the process by creating something in gold.

Luckily I have not had to do this with any of my PS3 controllers yet.  However, I have a box of PS2 controllers that have one thing or another wrong with them.  I plan to clean them out someday, but since PS2 controllers are so cheap, and I have so many, I'm not in a big rush to mess with them. 

This is exactly why I have so many PS3 controllers.  If all it is is the ribbon cable support, I can see what I can do in either ABS, PLA, or Flex from the 3d printer

You're going to print a tiny rectangle of material?

Just cut a piece of chipboard or something with more rigidity and tape it in.  Why turn a 5 minute job into a 2 hour job?

[Quazimoto]

Update Again...

Got the two 'for parts' controllers in today.  Just for a lark, I tested them out before tearing them apart.  One was recognized by the system as being plugged in, but none of the buttons worked at all.  Surprisingly, the other one works perfectly, so that was a nice little bonus.

Took apart the non-working on to harvest the foam piece from and get my other controller working again.  Took said foam piece and put three layers of duct tape on the bottom, then reassembled everything.  It works flawlessly again.  So, anyone who's have issues with random or spotty button presses in a Dualshock 3, give that a shot before junking the controller.  Just layer some thick tape on the bottom of the foam, cut to size, and put it back together.