[ELDRA Strategy Guide Volume 4] A comprehensive overview of payment techniques — Amounts, Balance%, Trail, Time-based payments
Hello, I am Hoso-no-P, the author of ELDRA.
“The entries were good, but the settlement was poor and I gave back the profits,” “Nanshin (averaging down) expanded, and I didn’t know where to cut.” What determines trading performance is actually the exit as much as the entry.
In ELDRA, besides SL/TP (5 groups) decided by points,there are several exits based on amount, balance percentage, trailing, profit range from average price, time, and daily target. In this fourth installment, we will organize what each exit is based on and how to combine them.
The basics of the point-specified SL/TP (5 groups) are covered in the “SL/TP settings” article, so this time we’ll focus on exits other than those.
List of settlement functions
| Function | Setting number | What it settles on | Main use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amount SL / Amount TP | 6-1〜6-4 | Total unrealized P/L of the target position (monetary amount) | Stops losses and takes profits for the whole averaging-down |
| Balance % loss limit | 7-1〜7-3 | What percentage of the balance is the unrealized loss | The last line to protect the account |
| Trailing | 8-1〜8-11 | Follow the sell line as unrealized gains increase | Extend profits |
| Break-even | 8-12〜8-17 | Move the stop to near the cost basis at a certain unrealized gain | Eliminate losses |
| Virtual SL | 8-15〜8-20 | Monitor price on the EA side and execute market order | Insurance for situations where SL cannot be placed |
| Take-profit width settlement | 11-1〜11-4 | Distance from average price | Exit for averaging-down |
| Time settlement / Weekend close | 31-1〜31-4 | Holding time / Saturday time | Prevents holding too long / weekend rollover |
| Daily target | 29-1〜29-6 | Total profit/loss for the day | Cash-out when winning |
1. Amount SL / Amount TP (6)
Total unrealized P/L of the target position (including swaps and commissions)reaches the preset amount, then all positions are settled at once.
| Setting | Default | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 6-1. Amount Stop Loss ON/OFF | OFF | |
| 6-2. └ Loss amount | 30000 | If total unrealized loss reaches this amount, settle all |
| 6-3. Amount Take Profit ON/OFF | OFF | |
| 6-4. └ Take-profit amount | 10000 | If total unrealized profit reaches this amount, settle all |
The amount isin account currency. If you have a yen account, input in yen; if you have a dollar account, input in dollars (if you leave 30000 in a dollar account, it will hardly trigger).
As the number of averaging-down positions increases, it is easier to manage with “how much is the total loss for the whole rather than per position SL.”If you use averaging-down, it is recommended to always decide 6-1.
Also, in 6-5〜6-9 there is an ATR settlement that exits when the composite price deviates from ATR × coefficient from the synthetic entry value. It is an option to adjust the stop width according to market turbulence.
2. Balance % loss limit (7)
unrealized loss reachesa percentage of the balance, settle all. When triggered, it also cancels pending orders and stops the grid.
| Setting | Default | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 7-1. Balance % loss limit ON/OFF | OFF | |
| 7-2. └ Loss limit (%): | 5.0 | |
| 7-3. └ Initial balance base | ON | ON = balance when EA starts; OFF = calculate based on current balance |
The difference from Amount SL (6) is that it applies proportionally regardless of account size.
Two cautions:
- 7 looks atthe unrealized loss of currently held positions. Already realized losses are not counted
- “Initial balance” meansthe balance when the EA starts. It is not the balance when the account was created, so re-loading the EA changes the base.
Like a prop firm challenge, if the maximum loss is a fixed percentage of the initial balance, please combine 7 with “32. Prop Firm Settings” (daily loss-based forced settlement, etc.). It is easier to use 7 as a one-trade cap like “do not lose more than X% of the balance in one averaging-down move.”
3. Trailing / Break-even / Virtual SL (8)
Trailing
As unrealized gains grow, the stop loss line follows from behind. ELDRA’s trailing isto manage multiple positions averaged from the same entry point collectively based on the average price. This is a key feature.
| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 8-1. Trailing Stop ON/OFF | OFF | Can also be toggled with the panel's “Trail” button |
| 8-2. └ Trailing mode | Single-step | Two-step, chandelier (ATR), and ATR trailing are also available |
| 8-3. └ First-step activation (pt) | 500 | This unrealized gain triggers trailing |
| 8-4. └ First-step trailing distance (pt) | 300 | How many points behind the current price to place the stop |
| 8-5 / 8-6 | 1000 / 500 | Second step in two-step mode |
| 8-7. └ Activation position count | 0 (disabled) | How many positions need to be held before use |
Trailing istrend-oriented. In counter-trend or range markets, small pullbacks often cut off profits, so beware.
Break-even (BE)
When unrealized gains reach a certain level, move the stop to the cost basis plus α, ensuring you “at least don’t lose.”
- 8-12. Break-even ON/OFF（Panel’s “BE” button）
- 8-13. └ Activation point（Default 500）
- 8-14. └ Profit protection point（Default 50）
- 8-15. └ BE countermeasure mode: Default isVirtual SL (market order settlement) — recommended
Virtual SL
Some brokers do not accept SL that is too close to the current price or may reject SL changes. Virtual SL does not place SL on the server; the EA watches the price and executes a market order when it hits the line.This is the mechanism.
- 8-16 / 8-17: Display and color of the virtual SL horizontal line
- 8-18. Virtual SL auto-switch(Default ON): When SL setting is rejected, automatically switch to virtual SL
- 8-19. └ Emergency hard stop (%障害)（Default 2.0）：A fallback settlement line when SL value itself cannot be used
Virtual SL only works while the EA is running.Closing MT4/MT5 or VPS stopping does not settle automatically, so please use in a continuously running environment.
4. Take-profit width settlement (11)
As an exit for averaging-down, this is the most commonly used feature.If the positions in the same direction move favorably by the set width from the average price, settle them together in that direction.
| Setting | Default | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 11-1. Take-profit width settlement ON/OFF | OFF | Can also be toggled from the panel’s “Take-profit width” button |
| 11-2. └ Take-profit width (pt) | 200 | Distance from the average price |
| 11-3. └ Width per position | — | Example: “150,200,250” to vary width per position |
| 11-4. └ Activation position count | 1 | How many positions must be held to be effective |
The chart displays the average price line and take-profit line, so you can instantly see how much more to move to settle.
11-3 Individual specificationallows adjustments like taking a wider margin for 1–2 lots and narrowing as the number of lots increases to escape sooner.
5. Time settlement / Weekend close (31)
| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 31-1. Time settlement default ON/OFF | OFF | Enable time settlement from startup when ON |
| 31-2. └ Settlement time (minutes) | 120 | Settle if holding longer than this time |
| 31-3. Weekend close ON/OFF | OFF | Full settlement at a specified Saturday time |
| 31-4. └ Close time (Saturday JST) | 0545 |
Time settlement uses separate timers for buy and sell, and you can turn ON/OFF BUY and SELL sides separately from the panel. This is for trades that do not settle quickly. Treat it as a pragmatic approach.
Weekend close notes:Even after closing, if entry function is ON, new positions may be opened. If you do not want to carry over to the weekend, use it together with “19-6. EA operation time” to stop new entries during late night hours (explained in Part 6).
6. Daily target (29)
If that day’s profit/loss (settled plus unrealized P/L) reaches the target, all settlements occur and trading stops. It automatically resets when the date changes.
| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 29-1. Daily target management ON/OFF | OFF | |
| 29-2. └ Target amount | 10000 | Account currency |
| 29-3. └ P/L calculation target | Overall account | Also options for Magic Number only / Symbol only, etc. |
| 29-4〜29-6 | All ON | On achievement: total settlement, cancel pending orders, and stop EA |
This is a “take profit” feature to prevent greed from erasing winnings on winning days. If you operate multiple EAs or manual trades on the same account, narrow the calculation target with 29-3.
Common pitfalls
- Not thinking of money in account currency: For example, keeping 6-2 at 30000 on a dollar account
- Using trailing in a contrarian style: Gains tend to be cut before they grow
- Stopping the EA with virtual SL: Virtual SL is only effective while the EA is running
- New entries after weekend close: Use with operation time filter set
- Exit has no options: At minimum, enable either “6-1. Amount SL” or “7-1. Balance % loss limit”
Conclusion
- The exit for profits from averaging-down is “Take-profit width settlement (11)”,,and the exit for losses is either “Amount SL (6)” or “Balance % loss limit (7)”
- If you want to maximize profits,Trailing, and if you want to minimize losses,Break-even
- In environments where SL is hard to hit,Virtual SL (but require EA to be running continuously)
- To prevent overholding, useTime settlement and Weekend close, and for taking profits, useDaily target
I myself used a prop firm account of 2 million yen and adjusted the exits to fit the account rules, operating up to a cumulative withdrawal of 1.14 million yen. However, results depend on market conditions and settings, and no specific performance is guaranteed. Please verify settings and take responsibility for your own actions.
In the next fifth installment, we will cover “Lot management.” It will explain fixed vs. compounding vs. Monte Carlo, martingale, and retracement, along with lot caps and capital shortage guards.
Try ELDRA
Settlement line movements are easiest to observe in Strategy Tester’s Visual Mode. First, trythe trial version (MT5, 14 days free).
- Trial version (MT5, 14 days free):https://www.gogojungle.co.jp/tools/indicators/87634
- Product version MT5:https://www.gogojungle.co.jp/tools/indicators/53197
- Product version MT4:https://www.gogojungle.co.jp/tools/indicators/53092