3/16 for first time

[borninmaple]

I am replacing my tubing this year. I have quite a bit of new 5/16 taps and lines from a previous purchase that cant be returned but really want to give 3/16 a try. I see many threads that mix the 2 sizes. I would appreciate any advice on how to get started with some sort of hybrid system. My gut feeling is to start with 3/16 taps and adapt to 5/16 further down the line to use the 5/16 as a sort of mainline. However, most of the problems with blocking seem to do the opposite. i.e. start with the larger diameter.

Thanks for any tips

[DrTimPerkins]

First question....do you have decent slope in your woods?

[maple flats]

If you have at least 20' drop in elevation and 30+ is better, you just use the 3/16 to go down the slope from high to bottom, pulling snugly on the 3/16 so it holds onto the trees. Then at each tree, you put a 5/16 tap on your 5/16 drops and on the other end you use a 3/16 x 3/16 x 5/16 Tee (the 5/16 comes out the side). With good drop in elevation you can have 25-3 taps on a line like this, in fact testing has shown that 37 might be the max.

[borninmaple]

Half my bush is very steep, probably 60 degree slope and half around 15 degree slope. Thanks for the help

[mol1jb]

That sounds like a perfect senario for 3/16 from the top of the run all the way to the tank.