dumb question

[zulubravo44]

Sometimes it pays to verify things that seem obvious...

If I'm able to remove the gauge, fill nipple and burst disks from a 3K 48ci empire aluminum tank with no hissing or air escapage (technical term), that means the tank is empty, right?

[vintage]

I would hope so.

[rawbutter]

I can understand your trepidation, but yes. If the reg is blocked up somehow, there's a tiny possibility you could remove the smaller burst disk and get no leak with air in the tank, the gauge, fill nipple and higher burst disk are all directly connected to the tank with no o-rings or springs in between.

You could also just push on the pin valve. If the tank is truly empty, you should be able to push it in with your finger.

[boo]

Even if it wasn't empty and you somehow managed to unscrew the reg there are vent channels milled into the threads of the regulator, so there's no way your going to rocket the bottle. But that would be an amazing feat of strength, the pressure usually holds the regs pretty damn tight on the bottle.

[zulubravo44]

You could also just push on the pin valve. If the tank is truly empty, you should be able to push it in with your finger.

Normally I would, but I have a cross-threaded back bottle adapter that's completely stuck on, with no way to depress the pin valve to be sure. I pulled all the gauges and whatnot off, and I was going to take the bottle to the dive shop around the corner to see if they could take the reg off so I could swap on a spare reg I have. I just don't want to walk in there until I'm sure that the thing is empty with the gauge and burst disks removed.