I normally leave the ps3 on and if I don't play for a week the batteries on both my controllers are dead. Then I have to plug them back onto the ps3 port to get them to respond. I normallly have the cord plugged into my dvr to clear some clutter off the front of the machine.

Umm, do you turn the controllers off?

They should turn off automatically.
To the OP, I don't know, I haven't spend a week or more without playing, but after not playing 2 or 3 days my controllers don't seem to be dead.

Also, some batteries may be damaged by overcharging, that happened to my cell's battery, do you usually leave your controllers plugged overnight? I don't know if the DS has a protection circuitry for overcharging, granted this is total speculation.

How do I turn them off? I thought they would just turn off automatically. I have left them plugged in overnight before, since this is not the first time I have had this problem. It would be pretty lame if they didn't have an overcharge circuit.

btw one control is a ds3 and the other is the original sixaxis.

How do I turn them off? I thought they would just turn off automatically. I have left them plugged in overnight before, since this is not the first time I have had this problem. It would be pretty lame if they didn't have an overcharge circuit.

btw one control is a ds3 and the other is the original sixaxis.

With the console on. Press and hold the ps button for a second or two a black screen will apear. with two optoions (more if you are playing a ps2 game at the time) Turn off Console and Turn off controllers.

Just pick what you want and press x. It will ask you if your sure. hit x again and it will happen

I will go for long stretches of time between using the controllers and I have never had this problem.

It says you normally leave the PS3 on?

Are the controllers plugged in to the PS3 while it is on?

If so I would think they would be fully charged when you went to use them.

They do not turn off automatically.

They should turn off automatically.


They don't. The 360's controller turns off automatically after ~15 minutes of no use. The SIXAXIS stays on until the battery dies.

Actually, I guess it does turn off automatically...when the battery dies. :)

They do not turn off automatically.

One caveat - they turn off automatically when the PS3 is shut off. If you leave the PS3 on, they will stay on until dead. Just want to be clear on that point. If you shut off the PS3, they should shut off automatically...

They should turn off automatically.
To the OP, I don't know, I haven't spend a week or more without playing, but after not playing 2 or 3 days my controllers don't seem to be dead.


Mine don't seem to turn off automatically either! I used to leave my PS3 on overnight for Folding but had the same issue. Now I know I can hit the PS button and tell it to turn the controller off, but I think they should just turn off automatically in case I forget.

Is there a setting in the menu so that they do turn off automatically?

my controllers turn of if i havn't used them/moved them in ~5 minutes, then i have to press the sp button to wake them up...

my controllers turn of if i havn't used them/moved them in ~5 minutes, then i have to press the sp button to wake them up...

Mine too, I don't know why others' controllers behave differently :confused:

Wow. Why the difference? Mine definitely don't turn off automatically. Is it a difference in console sku? I've got the 60gig. For those of you for whom the controllers turn off automatically, do you have one of the newer skus?

Wow. Why the difference? Mine definitely don't turn off automatically. Is it a difference in console sku? I've got the 60gig. For those of you for whom the controllers turn off automatically, do you have one of the newer skus?

I have an 80 gig. No auto shut off.

I have a 60GB version and the controllers (sixaxix and DS3) do not turn off with inactivity. If I remember, I will check to see if that is a system setting that I've never noticed when I get home. I've never had a problem with just hitting the middle button and turning them off manually.

as far as age or sku, mine is a 40g spiderman bundle bought 3 months ago.

I prefer to charge using the usb port on the back of my dvr so I don't have the wire sticking out the front of the ps3. Also its always on and my understanding is that the ps3 will not charge the controller if it is off.

I also can't just turn on the tv just to check controler status since the tv is a projector and on off cycles are deteremental to lamp life. I typically only turn it on if I know I have a couple of hours to use it.

Will the battery charge while the controller is off, or will it turn it back on and kill the battery after I disconnect it? (assuming I have it plugged into the dvr and the ps3 is off.)

after the battery dies or if a friend brings his controler over, it won't respond till you plug it in via usb to the ps3. Is there a way around this? Is that a reset button next to the middle screw on the underside its just grey colored? It didn't let me sync up when I hit the button, there was no feel to it so maybe I didn't reach it.


Geesh who would of know these controllers would be so tricky.

80gig here, controllers turn off when ps3 is off. Latest firmware

80gig here, controllers turn off when ps3 is off. Latest firmware

They all do that. The question is whether there is a feature that lets the controller turn itself off after xx minutes of inactivity.

60GB from way back and a second controller from about April 07. Neither turn off due to inactivity. After five minutes of inactivity on the XMB the PS3 will go into power saving mode - this does not shut off the controllers it only reduces the brightness to the display and requires any button press from the controller to return to full power.

Just a FYI about the controllers guys ... if you happen to switch your TV to another input (say cable or whatnot) or turn the TV off or go folding@home but you forgot to turn off your controller .. well, instead of going back to the PS3 to turn off the controllers all you have to do is press and hold the PS button for ten seconds and the controller will turn off that way!

They do not turn off automatically.

that's odd. and retarded. sony needs to add this in the next firmware update.

as far as age or sku, mine is a 40g spiderman bundle bought 3 months ago.

I prefer to charge using the usb port on the back of my dvr so I don't have the wire sticking out the front of the ps3. Also its always on and my understanding is that the ps3 will not charge the controller if it is off.

I also can't just turn on the tv just to check controler status since the tv is a projector and on off cycles are deteremental to lamp life. I typically only turn it on if I know I have a couple of hours to use it.

Will the battery charge while the controller is off, or will it turn it back on and kill the battery after I disconnect it? (assuming I have it plugged into the dvr and the ps3 is off.)

after the battery dies or if a friend brings his controler over, it won't respond till you plug it in via usb to the ps3. Is there a way around this? Is that a reset button next to the middle screw on the underside its just grey colored? It didn't let me sync up when I hit the button, there was no feel to it so maybe I didn't reach it.


Geesh who would of know these controllers would be so tricky.

they will charge if the controller is off. and no, it won't drain the battery after it's fully charged. btw, if you use your friend's controller, the ps3 will sync with that one. however, it shouldn't un-sync with yours. that's weird. just to add, if you sync yours with another ps3, it will require you to re-sync it with your ps3.

80gig here, controllers turn off when ps3 is off. Latest firmwareWhich is a totally useless feature. The only way your controller would be on when the PS3 is off is if you get up to turn the console off manually. I guess it's a neat feature for your extra controllers, but again, pretty useless.

But it sounds like some people are saying their controllers turn off when left idle after a few minutes. Or were you all just saying that the controllers turn off when the PS3 is turned off manually (i.e. from the button on the console)?

Hmm, I guess I was wrong, just tried it and my controller doesn't shut off while the ps3 is on.

hmm mine turn off when i press the button on the siaxis controller itself

i have 40gb ps3

maybe i should stop reading this thread before i get dizzy

I was wrong as well.. my wii remotes turn off, and my 360 controller turns off, but not the ps3 controllers..