Opinions on (small) 3/16 to mainline setup.

[ADK_XJ]

I would oversize it now with 3/4". Not a lot of 1/2" pipe out there so it might be difficult to find saddles and the 3/4" pipe will be comparable in price but allow for more taps.

thanks, I am seeing that now - the only place I can seem to find 1/2" is at Roth's Sugar Bush and it's only 150 feet with 5/16 fittings exclusively. I just discovered I have two extra rolls of 3/16" so I may try to run them the entire way to the collection and pick up that extra 20' or so of natural vacuum. The slope should be plenty and worst case I will throw a Shur Flo pump on the end.

[toothfairy050]

FYI I was told by my tubing and fitting supplier that many of the 3/16 manufactures are phasing out of producing 3/16 products

[buckeye gold]

Push come to shove you can get 1/2 waterline at any hardware stor and fittingst that will work. As long as it's potable water safe it's ok. The black may heat up a little in warm weather is a slight concern.

I have not heard 3/16 is being phased out. That seems odd, is sales way off or is it a raw materials supply problem? If 3/16 goes away I may just shut my doors permanently, I already geared down. I just find it hard to believe it's lost that much use.

[tombaisley]

3/16th is an over rated fad. there is no replacement for displacement

[buckeye gold]

Well, after doing a lot of searching through all the Maple suppliers I could think of and searching research at both Proctor and Cornell, I found nothing to say 3/16" tubing is going away or is a bad application. Does someone have a link to documentation on the subject....or are you just jerking our chains? I have used 3/16 since 2017 and I am very happy with it. I practice good sanitation and new spouts every year and most years new drops and tees. The cost is much cheaper and easy to work with. As long as I can get it I'm using it and will recommend it for applications with proper slope.

[ADK_XJ]

I've not heard anything about "discontinuing" 3/16 either...I have heard some producers experience a drop off in production on their 3/16 after a few seasons and I recall reading it was due to a combination of gunk built up in fittings and lack of sanitation.

I send 50 gallons of peroxide solution up my lines at the end of the season last year, allowed for contact time and then pulled taps - I am going to do the same thing to start this year and sanitize my SS taps before replacing.

I'm not replacing drop-lines or any tee fittings at this time, they're all only a few years old but may in the future. We will see in the coming year but 3/16 is an excellent solution for my scenario in theory. Dr. Tim has written about this at length in other threads...

[johnallin]

3/16th is an over rated fad. there is no replacement for displacement

That's just plain BS.

[buckeye gold]

I agree Johnallin, I was just trying to be diplomatic....BS and pot stirring. Mods take note

If there's data out there I certainly want to see it and use whatever knowledge I can. But I don't need rumors and bias opinions

so to keep on topic. I wouldn't let fear of 3/16 shortages stop me ftom setting up a system on it.

[toothfairy050]

TAKE A BREATH!!!!!! I think you are over acting.
I didn't say you are wrong JUST stating what I was told.

[ADK_XJ]

Ha, well that went a way I wasn't thinking...anyway, 3/16 seems just fine the way we're using it here.