Use the 3/16 line with 5/16" taps and drops. Don't try to focus on the sunny side. Since you should tap all sides of a tree within a given time period, if you tap all on the sunny side one year then at some point you would need to tap all on the least sunny side. If you go on the 3/16" laterals you shoud tap about 1/4 on the north face, 1/4 on the east face, 1/4 on the south and 1/4 on the west. While you do not do it using a compass just as you work the hill, do randomly spread the tapping orientation using all sides. Using the gravity vacuum of a 3/16 lateral you should tap 1 side (or 2 on trees over about 20" DBH) this year using all orientations but trees with 2 taps should be on opposite sides of the tree. Then next year tap at about 180 from the 1 tap trees and 90 degrees from the 2 tap from the previous year. With vacuum (the 3/16 with good drop in elevation gives you good vacuum) I never put in more than 2 taps, on buckets I used to do 3 on a tree that was over 25" DBH. In fact I have very few 2 tap trees because of the vacuum even though I have about maybe 5% of my trees well over 20" DBH.
That all being said, fall tapping will make some syrup but not much compared to the late winter/spring sap season.
Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.