New Sherwood Brut purge valve caused free Flow on Surface

My new Sherwood Brut Regulators free flowed on the dive boat in Mexico last spring when I pressed the purge valve (twice, the DM checked a second time, same result). I had been in the water with the regulators in a pool a few times (cleaned carefully after each time), and everything was fine. I ended up using rentals that vacation, and had the regulator serviced at the LDS where I purchased it when I returned home. The technician said the regulator was fine, and to just not hit the purge valve on the surface (Something I thought PADI taught was Ok). I dove in Nova Scotia this past summer and it performed well. I just finished a PADI elearning course yesterday and noted the press the purge on the surface was mentioned as a part of the predive equipment checks. So I thought I should ask here, is the local tech correct, or should I consider getting the regulator serviced somewhere else? I have heard the Brut is a tough reliable regulator; but I want to be safe. What do you think?

Is the free flow uncontrollable, meaning you have to shut down the cylinder valve to get it to stop? A lot of times, you can just put your finger inside the mouthpiece or your hand over the mouthpiece to get it to stop. A lot of times, once air gets flowing, it can set up a Venturi effect that can keep it free flowing & eventually freeze it up, depending on ambient temperatures & air flow, by stopping up the mouth piece, it creates a momentary back pressure that can stop the Venturi effect, thus stopping the free flow. It is not unheard of for that to happen with a high flow/ high performance regulator & could also happen on a lower end regulator, some regulators are just ever so touchy. My MK25/S600 does it frequently, but I can stop quickly it with the methods above. Been a few years since my OW training, but I teach my students to test their regulators by drawing a few breaths off of it,both with the air off (to test for leaks) & on (to test for breathe-ability) as a pre- dive check. By drawing a breath, you have your mouth over the mouthpiece to hold the pressure back & prevent a free flow that way.

Depends on how the reg is tuned. The brut is a non adjustable second. You and the tech need to decide where you want the cracking pressure set. Too low and it may freeflow easily, too high and you may not be happy with the initial breathing effort. Anytime though you hit the purge on a reg you should have your thumb over the mouthpiece to create some back pressure as Tammy just said. This is why I don't like elearning. It obviously did not tell you that. But then again it seems your instructor dropped the ball as well by not passing on this bit of info. I also do and teach a breathe test but make sure to tell students to exhale a good breath into the reg before inhaling. It will free up the exhaust diaphragm if it happens to be sticking as well as blow out that spider, cockroach, scorpion, stinkbug, or other creepy crawly that may have crawled into the reg overnight. :=0!

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Thanks, I did not try that.

Thank you both for the information, I appreciate the help.