# How to replace an Index Controller battery when both Pimax and Valve refuse to help you and tell you to buy a new controller instead **URL:** \ **Category:** Controllers\ **Tags:** youtube, mod\ **Created:** [August 4, 2022, 3:52pm UTC](https://forum.openmr.com/t/how-to-replace-an-index-controller-battery-when-both-pimax-and-valve-refuse-to-help-you-and-tell-you-to-buy-a-new-controller-instead/39095 "2022-08-04T15:52:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SneakyJoe](https://forum.openmr.com/user_avatar/forum.openmr.com/sneakyjoe/32/13218_2.png) [@SneakyJoe](https://forum.openmr.com/u/SneakyJoe)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2022, 3:52pm UTC](https://forum.openmr.com/t/how-to-replace-an-index-controller-battery-when-both-pimax-and-valve-refuse-to-help-you-and-tell-you-to-buy-a-new-controller-instead/39095/1 "2022-08-04T15:52:51Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2p8VTLddKpM/maxresdefault.jpg "Replacing battery in Valve Index Controller (disassembly and repair) #righttorepair") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p8VTLddKpM) Description of the video has a link to aliexpress seller who will supply best fitting batteries ---
**Author:** ![Heliosurge](https://forum.openmr.com/user_avatar/forum.openmr.com/heliosurge/32/28073_2.png) [@Heliosurge](https://forum.openmr.com/u/Heliosurge)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2022, 3:26am UTC](https://forum.openmr.com/t/how-to-replace-an-index-controller-battery-when-both-pimax-and-valve-refuse-to-help-you-and-tell-you-to-buy-a-new-controller-instead/39095/2 "2022-08-05T03:26:14Z")
This is quite cool when I get a chance will add this to guides! ---
**Author:** ![SmallBaguette](https://forum.openmr.com/user_avatar/forum.openmr.com/smallbaguette/32/24247_2.png) [@SmallBaguette](https://forum.openmr.com/u/SmallBaguette)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2022, 8:05am UTC](https://forum.openmr.com/t/how-to-replace-an-index-controller-battery-when-both-pimax-and-valve-refuse-to-help-you-and-tell-you-to-buy-a-new-controller-instead/39095/3 "2022-08-05T08:05:11Z")
I’d love to replace the battery with a larger one, always found the battery life on the knuckles to be rather lacking. ---
**Author:** ![SneakyJoe](https://forum.openmr.com/user_avatar/forum.openmr.com/sneakyjoe/32/13218_2.png) [@SneakyJoe](https://forum.openmr.com/u/SneakyJoe)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2022, 9:39am UTC](https://forum.openmr.com/t/how-to-replace-an-index-controller-battery-when-both-pimax-and-valve-refuse-to-help-you-and-tell-you-to-buy-a-new-controller-instead/39095/4 "2022-08-05T09:39:24Z")
I’ve seen a 1500 mah battery, but I wasn’t sure about the dimensions when I was exploring options. But I do believe it’s possible. And you can use external powerbanks to extend battery life time if you want to do it the easy way. ---
**Author:** ![BrziJoe](https://forum.openmr.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@BrziJoe](https://forum.openmr.com/u/BrziJoe)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 1:00pm UTC](https://forum.openmr.com/t/how-to-replace-an-index-controller-battery-when-both-pimax-and-valve-refuse-to-help-you-and-tell-you-to-buy-a-new-controller-instead/39095/5 "2022-08-07T13:00:04Z")
I do not know why booth valve and pimax went with built-in batteries. I hate when I need to recharge controllers during my play time. Your problem is even more annoying 😝 Oculus controllers with double set of rechargable cheap batteries beats everything. ---
**Author:** ![Sargon](https://forum.openmr.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Sargon](https://forum.openmr.com/u/Sargon)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 5:40pm UTC](https://forum.openmr.com/t/how-to-replace-an-index-controller-battery-when-both-pimax-and-valve-refuse-to-help-you-and-tell-you-to-buy-a-new-controller-instead/39095/6 "2022-08-07T17:40:01Z")
> [@BrziJoe](#): > > I do not know why booth valve and pimax went with built-in batteries. Because they provide significant volume and weight savings. Having a user accessible battery compartment means there has to be a second plastic shell which takes up weight and space. Index controllers are already on the heavy and large side, so it’s a natural choice to not make them even larger and heavier with replaceable batteries. Despite the drawbacks, I think Valve made the right decision there. > [@BrziJoe](#): > > [Oculus](https://www.oculus.com) controllers with double set of rechargable cheap batteries beats everything. I don’t agree with this. Having to pull out individual batteries and put them on an old school charger is a hassle compared to just plugging the controllers into USB. Especially since magnetic USB cables can be used. The main thing that makes touch controller batteries less of hassle to deal with is actually their long endurance. The controllers aren’t performing their own tracking and so have _much_ less power draw (but this is also why their tracking isn’t great). If you had to swap batteries every 8 hours on the touch controllers, the amount of hassle would be much worse than USB charging and probably unacceptable to most customers. Plus a lot of people feed non-rechargeable batteries to their touch controllers. Lots and lots of them over time. Which isn’t great for the environment. ---
**Author:** ![SneakyJoe](https://forum.openmr.com/user_avatar/forum.openmr.com/sneakyjoe/32/13218_2.png) [@SneakyJoe](https://forum.openmr.com/u/SneakyJoe)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 5:55pm UTC](https://forum.openmr.com/t/how-to-replace-an-index-controller-battery-when-both-pimax-and-valve-refuse-to-help-you-and-tell-you-to-buy-a-new-controller-instead/39095/7 "2022-08-07T17:55:31Z")
> I think Valve made the right decision there. > With that decision, they should have made batteries serviceable. Making a battery with some standard connector on a wire would add 1-5 grams of weight and allow for easier repairs without soldering. And the amount of adhesive there is just overkill. ---
**Author:** ![Sargon](https://forum.openmr.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Sargon](https://forum.openmr.com/u/Sargon)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 7:50pm UTC](https://forum.openmr.com/t/how-to-replace-an-index-controller-battery-when-both-pimax-and-valve-refuse-to-help-you-and-tell-you-to-buy-a-new-controller-instead/39095/8 "2022-08-07T19:50:43Z")
> [@SneakyJoe](#): > > With that decision, they should have made batteries serviceable. Making a battery with some standard connector on a wire would add 1-5 grams of weight and allow for easier repairs without soldering. And the amount of adhesive there is just overkill. I certainly agree that manufacturers should not make things needlessly or intentionally (Apple) unserviceable for a technician or hobbyist. ---
**Author:** ![dogbite](https://forum.openmr.com/user_avatar/forum.openmr.com/dogbite/32/1793_2.png) [@dogbite](https://forum.openmr.com/u/dogbite)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 8:53pm UTC](https://forum.openmr.com/t/how-to-replace-an-index-controller-battery-when-both-pimax-and-valve-refuse-to-help-you-and-tell-you-to-buy-a-new-controller-instead/39095/9 "2022-08-07T20:53:41Z")
Loved Touch never had tracking issues even with 2 IRs Had 3 but didn’t really need them., As for swapping in new rechargeable batts per session, that was not trouble. If there’s anything I don’t like about Index, it’s the shape. The Touch were great for easy diy rifle mounting. ---
**Author:** ![SneakyJoe](https://forum.openmr.com/user_avatar/forum.openmr.com/sneakyjoe/32/13218_2.png) [@SneakyJoe](https://forum.openmr.com/u/SneakyJoe)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 9:14pm UTC](https://forum.openmr.com/t/how-to-replace-an-index-controller-battery-when-both-pimax-and-valve-refuse-to-help-you-and-tell-you-to-buy-a-new-controller-instead/39095/10 "2022-08-07T21:14:33Z")
[Index Controllers - after 3 years with Oculus Rift - honest review (2020) - YouTube](https://youtu.be/VdvSQtFInEg?t=343) This literally happened several times when I was adjusting ---
**Author:** ![Heliosurge](https://forum.openmr.com/user_avatar/forum.openmr.com/heliosurge/32/28073_2.png) [@Heliosurge](https://forum.openmr.com/u/Heliosurge)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 9:35pm UTC](https://forum.openmr.com/t/how-to-replace-an-index-controller-battery-when-both-pimax-and-valve-refuse-to-help-you-and-tell-you-to-buy-a-new-controller-instead/39095/11 "2022-08-07T21:35:56Z")
> [@BrziJoe](#): > > I do not know why booth valve and pimax went with built-in batteries. I hate when I need to recharge controllers during my play time. Pimax Sword controllers feature swappable batteries. ---
**Author:** ![SneakyJoe](https://forum.openmr.com/user_avatar/forum.openmr.com/sneakyjoe/32/13218_2.png) [@SneakyJoe](https://forum.openmr.com/u/SneakyJoe)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 9:55pm UTC](https://forum.openmr.com/t/how-to-replace-an-index-controller-battery-when-both-pimax-and-valve-refuse-to-help-you-and-tell-you-to-buy-a-new-controller-instead/39095/12 "2022-08-07T21:55:54Z")
They don’t feature thumbsticks and buttons as was announced initially. They’re essential for a lot of games. ---
**Author:** ![Heliosurge](https://forum.openmr.com/user_avatar/forum.openmr.com/heliosurge/32/28073_2.png) [@Heliosurge](https://forum.openmr.com/u/Heliosurge)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 10:19pm UTC](https://forum.openmr.com/t/how-to-replace-an-index-controller-battery-when-both-pimax-and-valve-refuse-to-help-you-and-tell-you-to-buy-a-new-controller-instead/39095/13 "2022-08-07T22:19:36Z")
2 types of controllers were to be released. Only 1 made it to launch. Most games have fall back for vive wands as there still used. I agree more inputs would be nice to which no vr controller has yet to match the razer hydra and of course the downside is the hydra controller is wasted as it only maps to a vive wand and has not had a rewrite to even map like a Index Controller. Hopefully OpenXR will make making vr controllers easier with extra buttons/functions. ---
**Author:** ![jojon](https://forum.openmr.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/ce7236/32.png) [@jojon](https://forum.openmr.com/u/jojon)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 10:40pm UTC](https://forum.openmr.com/t/how-to-replace-an-index-controller-battery-when-both-pimax-and-valve-refuse-to-help-you-and-tell-you-to-buy-a-new-controller-instead/39095/14 "2022-08-07T22:40:46Z")
Adjusting – heh, I played “Maskmaker” the other day, and I think I must have missed half the monologues in the game, from accidently taking off the world-hopping in-game mask, when taking the opportunity to reach up to adjust the HMD, or scratch my face, whenever the guy started talking. 😛 Incidently, while the very reason so many call the Oculus Touch controllers “ergonomic”, seems to to a great degree be for the way their bodies end before they even get halfway into your palm; That is also the very reason I personally absolutely detest them – if you are going to force me to hold onto something, at least give it enough length that it can indeed be held with any confidence - especially if you have a grip button. 😛 The only decent way I ever found of using them, was to splay out my fingers, so that I held them by the finger pressure around the inside rim of the sensor array loop - that was pretty good - I really don’t like controllers. 😛 Not that I am a fan of the awkward banana-pistol shape of the Index controllers, but at least they fill my palm… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![dogbite](https://forum.openmr.com/user_avatar/forum.openmr.com/dogbite/32/1793_2.png) [@dogbite](https://forum.openmr.com/u/dogbite)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 6:53pm UTC](https://forum.openmr.com/t/how-to-replace-an-index-controller-battery-when-both-pimax-and-valve-refuse-to-help-you-and-tell-you-to-buy-a-new-controller-instead/39095/15 "2022-08-08T18:53:28Z")
The thing with Touch was they were so well balanced, I never felt the need for Index type straps. Even with large hands, i found they would just float around the balance point and adjusting my hands on the fly was a breeze. ---
**Author:** ![jojon](https://forum.openmr.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/ce7236/32.png) [@jojon](https://forum.openmr.com/u/jojon)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 7:28pm UTC](https://forum.openmr.com/t/how-to-replace-an-index-controller-battery-when-both-pimax-and-valve-refuse-to-help-you-and-tell-you-to-buy-a-new-controller-instead/39095/16 "2022-08-08T19:28:50Z")
That balance may indeed have been nothing short of prerequisite for the splayed-finger “grip”. :7 ---
**Author:** ![dogbite](https://forum.openmr.com/user_avatar/forum.openmr.com/dogbite/32/1793_2.png) [@dogbite](https://forum.openmr.com/u/dogbite)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 10:59pm UTC](https://forum.openmr.com/t/how-to-replace-an-index-controller-battery-when-both-pimax-and-valve-refuse-to-help-you-and-tell-you-to-buy-a-new-controller-instead/39095/17 "2022-08-08T22:59:37Z")
Certainly was well researched. I have to use booster grips for my big mitts to get a comfortable fit with my ICs. Was never an issue with Touch. If i could get Touch for Lighthouse, I’d be all over them. in a heart beat. All the IC’s lack luster finger tracking just adds to size, weight and price. Then there is the accuracy of IFT depending on hand size. Could never get all fingers working at the same time in one position. Not that that matters to me. ---
**Author:** ![Sargon](https://forum.openmr.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Sargon](https://forum.openmr.com/u/Sargon)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 12:19am UTC](https://forum.openmr.com/t/how-to-replace-an-index-controller-battery-when-both-pimax-and-valve-refuse-to-help-you-and-tell-you-to-buy-a-new-controller-instead/39095/18 "2022-08-09T00:19:34Z")
> [@dogbite](#): > > I never felt the need for Index type straps. You must never play VR games where you throw grenades. > [@dogbite](#): > > All the IC’s lack luster finger tracking just adds to size, weight and price. You must never play social VR titles like VRChat. ---
**Author:** ![Heliosurge](https://forum.openmr.com/user_avatar/forum.openmr.com/heliosurge/32/28073_2.png) [@Heliosurge](https://forum.openmr.com/u/Heliosurge)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 12:41am UTC](https://forum.openmr.com/t/how-to-replace-an-index-controller-battery-when-both-pimax-and-valve-refuse-to-help-you-and-tell-you-to-buy-a-new-controller-instead/39095/19 "2022-08-09T00:41:29Z")
> [@Sargon](#): > > You must never play VR games where you throw grenades Or maybe the early motion controller mishaps of the Wii Motes and psmove. Broken bigscreen TVs comes to mind. Lol ---
**Author:** ![dogbite](https://forum.openmr.com/user_avatar/forum.openmr.com/dogbite/32/1793_2.png) [@dogbite](https://forum.openmr.com/u/dogbite)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 5:34pm UTC](https://forum.openmr.com/t/how-to-replace-an-index-controller-battery-when-both-pimax-and-valve-refuse-to-help-you-and-tell-you-to-buy-a-new-controller-instead/39095/20 "2022-08-09T17:34:00Z")
You will notice the “past tense”. This is to say that back when I used a CV1, I wasn’t playing anything that had grenades. It is also not to say I couldn’t have added straps had the need arisen. Only meant from the balance stand point i wasn’t concerned about dropping them or them flying off my hands. i get your point though. There was also the guy who pointed out to me the handiness of IFT when it comes to silently signaling team mates. For that, l I also say, not that that matters to me. Even if I required things like this in my play, I am not adverse to owning multiple controllers for different jobs. My Vive wands aren’t of much use these days but attached to a broomstick the are and excellent kayak controller. Another point is I have had 3 sets of very expenses ICs in less than 2 years. My original Touch never had the issues ICs have and still work today. What was it Scotty (Star Trek) said. “The more they over think the plumbing the easier it is to stop up the works” [Next page](https://forum.openmr.com/t/how-to-replace-an-index-controller-battery-when-both-pimax-and-valve-refuse-to-help-you-and-tell-you-to-buy-a-new-controller-instead/39095.md?page=2)