Big BENg EA – User Manual and Installation Guide
Professional Intelligent Grid Trading System for GBPUSD
Welcome to the Big BENg EA User Manual. This comprehensive guide will help you install, configure, and optimize the Expert Advisor for successful GBPUSD trading.
Installation and Setup
Step 1: Download and Install
- Purchase and download Big BENg EA from MQL5 Market
- Open MetaTrader 5 platform
- Go to Navigator panel (Ctrl+N)
- Find Big BENg EA under Market folder in Expert Advisors
- Drag and drop EA onto GBPUSD chart
Step 2: Enable Automated Trading
- Click “AutoTrading” button in MT5 toolbar (or press Alt+T)
- Ensure the button is highlighted/active
- Check that EA shows a smiley face icon in chart corner (not sad face)
Step 3: Initial Configuration
- Right-click on chart and select “Expert Advisors” → “Properties”
- Go to “Inputs” tab to configure parameters
- Start with conservative default settings
- Adjust Magic Number if running multiple EAs
- Enable “Allow DLL imports” and “Allow WebRequest” if needed
Important First-Time Setup Notes:
- ALWAYS start with minimum lot sizes when going live
- Test on demo account first to understand EA behavior
- Ensure GBPUSD symbol is available on your broker
- Verify broker allows automated trading (some brokers restrict EAs)
- Check that your account has sufficient margin for grid operations
Important: Trading Time Configuration
The EA uses session filters to restrict trading hours. The time parameters use your broker’s server time (24-hour format), NOT your local time. The default values (Start=7, End=23) are configured for GMT+0 brokers. To find your broker’s server time, check the time shown in MetaTrader’s Market Watch window. Example: If you want to trade 08:00-17:00 London time and your broker shows GMT+2, set Start=10 and End=19 (add 2 hours). Enable VerboseLogging to verify session start/end messages appear at correct times.
Understanding the Grid System
What is a Grid Trading System?
A grid system places multiple orders at predetermined intervals (grid levels) as price moves against the initial position. This averaging strategy can be profitable when price eventually reverses, but requires careful risk management.
How Big BENg’s Grid Works:
- Initial Position: EA identifies high-quality setup using SMC and opens first trade
- Grid Activation: If price moves against position by threshold (ATR-based), grid activates
- Grid Expansion: Additional positions open at calculated distances as price continues against us
- Progressive Spacing: Distance between levels increases using multiplier (e.g., 40, 52, 67 pips)
- Unified Exit: All grid positions close together when combined profit reaches take profit target
Three Progression Modes:
- Fixed (Mode 0): All positions same size – most conservative
- Example: 0.02, 0.02, 0.02, 0.02, 0.02
- Best for: Ultra-conservative traders, small accounts
- Additive (Mode 1): Linear increase – recommended balance
- Example: 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.10
- Best for: Balanced risk-reward, most users
- Multiplier (Mode 2): Exponential growth – aggressive
- Example with 1.5x: 0.02, 0.03, 0.045, 0.068, 0.10
- Best for: Larger accounts, aggressive recovery
Grid System Risks:
- Extended trends can create large drawdowns
- Requires sufficient margin for all grid levels
- Not suitable for small accounts (under 2000 USD)
- Max Grid Risk parameter limits total exposure
- Grid Rescue system helps reduce exposure partially
Input Parameters Explained
TRADE SETUP PARAMETERS
- Magic Number for EA identification (default: 250125)
- Unique identifier for EA’s trades
- Change if running multiple EAs on same account
- Each EA instance should have different magic number
- Trade comment (customizable) (default: “Big BENg EA”)
- Comment attached to all trades
- Helps identify trades in history
- Can customize for tracking purposes
- Stop Loss in Pips (0 = disabled) (default: 0)
- Stop loss distance in pips
- 0 = disabled (grid manages risk instead)
- Recommended: Keep at 0 for pure grid strategy
- If enabled: Set to 50-100 pips for safety net
- Take Profit in Pips (default: 40)
- Take profit target in pips
- Applied to average entry price of entire grid
- Recommended range: 30-60 pips depending on volatility
- All grid positions close together at this target
- Max trades per day (default: 50)
- Maximum number of trades allowed per day
- Prevents overtrading
- Includes both new entries and grid expansions
- Reset at start of each new day
RISK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
- Daily loss limit % (default: 100%)
- Maximum daily loss before EA stops trading
- Expressed as percentage of balance
- Recommended: 5-20% for safety
- 100% = no daily limit (use with caution)
- Enable/Disable Emergency Position Manager (default: false)
- Emergency position closure system
- Only active when Stop Loss in Pips = 0
- Closes individual positions at emergency threshold
- Recommended: false (let grid manage risk)
- Emergency close at loss % (default: 100%)
- Loss percentage to trigger emergency close
- Only used if Enable/Disable Emergency Position Manager = true
- Recommended: 15-30% if enabled
LOT SIZING SYSTEM
- Enable automatic lot sizing (default: false)
- true = Automatic risk-based lot calculation
- false = Use fixed lot size
- Recommended: true for proportional risk management
- Fixed lot size (when AutoLot disabled) (default: 0.01)
- Lot size when Enable automatic lot sizing = false
- Minimum: 0.01 (broker dependent)
- Recommended: 0.01-0.05 for accounts under 5000 USD
- Risk % per trade (0.05 = 0.05% risk per position) (default: 0.05%)
- Risk percentage per trade when auto-lot enabled
- Based on balance or equity (see Use equity instead of balance for risk calc)
- Recommended: 0.05-0.5% for conservative trading
- Lower = safer but slower growth
- Maximum allowed lot size (default: 10.0)
- Maximum lot size limit
- Safety cap for auto-lot calculations
- Adjust based on account size and broker limits
- Use equity instead of balance for risk calc (default: true)
- true = Calculate risk based on equity (recommended)
- false = Calculate risk based on balance
- Equity-based is more dynamic and realistic
ADDITIVE GRID SYSTEM
- Enable grid system (default: true)
- Master switch for grid functionality
- false = Single position trading only
- Recommended: true for grid strategy
- Maximum grid levels (default: 20)
- Maximum number of grid positions
- Recommended: 10-20 depending on account size
- Higher = more drawdown potential
- Lower = safer but less averaging capability
- Grid spacing in pips (base distance) (default: 40)
- Base distance between grid levels in pips
- First grid level opens at this distance
- Subsequent levels use multiplier for progressive spacing
- Recommended: 30-50 pips for GBPUSD
- Grid size multiplier for progressive spacing (default: 1.3)
- Multiplier for progressive grid spacing
- Each level distance = previous * multiplier
- Example with 40 pips base and 1.3x: 40, 52, 67, 87 pips
- Recommended: 1.2-1.5 for balanced spacing
- Maximum total grid risk % (default: 20%)
- Maximum total risk from all grid positions
- Prevents grid from expanding beyond this risk
- Recommended: 15-30% depending on risk tolerance
- Critical safety parameter
GRID LOT PROGRESSION
- 0=Fixed, 1=Additive, 2=Multiplier (default: 1)
- 0 = Fixed: All positions same size
- 1 = Additive: Linear increase (recommended)
- 2 = Multiplier: Exponential growth
- Multiplier for progression mode 2 (default: 1.25)
- Only used in Multiplier mode (mode 2)
- Each position = previous * multiplier
- Recommended: 1.2-1.5 for controlled growth
GRID RESCUE SYSTEM
- Enable Grid-Rescue function (default: true)
- Enables partial grid exit system
- Closes profitable clusters to reduce exposure
- Recommended: true for risk reduction
- Grid size to activate 2-Node rescue (default: 4)
- Grid size to activate 2-node rescue
- Closes top + bottom positions
- Recommended: 4-6 positions
- Grid size to activate 3-Node rescue (default: 6)
- Grid size to activate 3-node rescue
- Closes top + middle + bottom positions
- Recommended: 6-10 positions
HIGH SELECTIVITY FILTERS
- Require H4 trend confirmation (default: true)
- Requires H4 timeframe trend confirmation
- true = More selective, fewer trades
- false = More trades, relies on SMC only
- Require multiple confluences (default: false)
- Requires multiple SMC confirmations
- Recommended: true for quality trades
- Min pips ATR to trade (default: 11.0)
- Minimum ATR in pips to allow trading
- Avoids trading in low volatility conditions
- Recommended: 10-15 pips for GBPUSD
- Max pips ATR (avoid news) (default: 35.0)
- Maximum ATR in pips to allow trading
- Avoids trading during high volatility (news)
- Recommended: 30-40 pips for GBPUSD
- Bars to wait between trades (default: 8)
- Number of bars to wait between trades
- Prevents overtrading
- Recommended: 5-10 bars
SMC QUALITY FILTERS
- Min pips for valid Order Block (default: 15)
- Minimum pips for valid Order Block
- Higher = fewer but stronger signals
- Recommended: 12-20 pips for GBPUSD
- Min pips for FVG (default: 9)
- Minimum pips for Fair Value Gap
- Filters out insignificant gaps
- Recommended: 8-12 pips for GBPUSD
- Max pip spread (default: 20)
- Maximum allowed spread in pips
- Ensures favorable execution conditions
- Recommended: 1.5-3.0 pips for low-spread brokers
SESSION AND TIME FILTERS
- Use time filter (default: true)
- Restricts trading to specified time window
- false = Trade 24/7
- Note: Variable name references London but configures any custom time range
- Close all trades when time filter ends (default: false)
- Closes profitable positions at session end
- Keeps losing positions open
- Recommended: false (let trades run)
- Start (Broker Time!) – Standard set for GMT+0 (default: 7)
- Trading session start hour in 24-hour format
- Default value (7) is for GMT+0 brokers
- Uses broker server time (see “Trading Time Configuration” section)
- Example: 10 = 10:00 AM broker time
- End (Broker Time!) – Standard set for GMT+0 (default: 23)
- Trading session end hour in 24-hour format
- Default value (23) is for GMT+0 brokers
- Uses broker server time (see “Trading Time Configuration” section)
- Example: 19 = 7:00 PM broker time
- Avoid high-impact news (default: true)
- Avoids trading during high-impact news
- Uses Max pips ATR (avoid news) as volatility threshold
- Recommended: true for safety
DEBUGGING
- Enable detailed logs (default: false)
- Enables detailed log messages
- Useful for troubleshooting
- Check Experts tab in Terminal for logs
- Show OB/FVG on chart (default: true)
- Shows Order Blocks and FVGs on chart
- Helps understand EA decisions
- Show grid levels on chart (default: true)
- Shows grid level lines on chart
- Visualizes grid structure
Grid Rescue System Explained
How Grid Rescue Works:
The Grid Rescue system partially closes the grid when certain conditions are met, reducing exposure while maintaining remaining positions.
2-Node Rescue (Smaller Grids):
- Triggers when grid reaches Grid size to activate 2-Node rescue (default: 4 positions)
- Closes: Top position (newest/worst) + Bottom position (oldest/best)
- Condition: Combined profit of these 2 positions ≥ Take Profit target
- Result: Reduces exposure by 2 positions while keeping middle ones
3-Node Rescue (Larger Grids):
- Triggers when grid reaches Grid size to activate 3-Node rescue (default: 6 positions)
- Closes: Top + Middle + Bottom positions
- Middle position calculated dynamically based on grid size
- Condition: Combined profit of these 3 positions ≥ Take Profit target
- Result: Reduces exposure by 3 positions
Middle Position Calculation:
- Grid size 1-6: Middle = Grid Size – 2
- Grid size 7-9: Middle = Grid Size – 3
- Grid size 10+: Middle = Grid Size – 4
Benefits of Grid Rescue:
- Reduces total exposure during deep drawdowns
- Takes partial profits while maintaining recovery potential
- Systematic risk reduction without manual intervention
- Can trigger multiple times as grid continues
Smart Money Concepts (SMC) Explained
What are Smart Money Concepts?
SMC is a trading methodology based on institutional order flow and market structure. Big BENg uses SMC to identify high-probability entry points before activating the grid system.
Order Blocks (OB):
- Zones where institutional orders are placed
- Identified by strong price moves away from consolidation
- EA marks these zones on chart when Show OB/FVG on chart = true
- Trade entries occur when price returns to these zones
Fair Value Gaps (FVG):
- Price imbalances created by rapid institutional moves
- Three-candle patterns with gaps in middle candle
- Price often returns to “fill” these gaps
- Used as entry trigger zones
Confluence Requirements:
When Require multiple confluences = true, EA requires:
- Valid Order Block present
- Fair Value Gap aligned with trade direction
- Market structure break confirmation
- Optional: H4 trend alignment if Require H4 trend confirmation = true
Risk Management Best Practices
Account Size Guidelines:
- Minimum: 2000 USD for conservative settings
- Recommended: 5000 USD for balanced approach
- Optimal: 10000+ USD for full strategy potential
Leverage Requirements:
- Minimum: 1:100 for grid operations
- Recommended: 1:200 for comfort margin
- Warning: Higher leverage increases risk
Position Sizing Rules:
- Never risk more than 0.5% per initial position
- Keep Maximum total grid risk % below 25% of balance
- Start with smaller risk percentages (0.05-0.1%)
- Increase gradually as you gain confidence
Monitoring and Maintenance:
- Check EA daily for proper operation
- Monitor maximum drawdown levels
- Review closed trades weekly for performance
- Adjust parameters based on market conditions
- Keep terminal running 24/7 (use VPS recommended)
Warning Signs:
- Drawdown exceeding Maximum total grid risk % setting
- Multiple failed grid rescues
- Frequent Emergency Manager activations
- Consistent losses over 2+ weeks
- Action: Reduce risk parameters or pause EA
Troubleshooting
EA Not Opening Trades:
- Check AutoTrading is enabled (green button)
- Verify session times are set in broker server time (not local time)
- Check if Max trades per day limit reached
- Verify ATR is within Min/Max range
- Check spread is below Max pip spread
- Enable Enable detailed logs to see detailed reasons
Grid Not Activating:
- Verify Enable grid system = true
- Check if Maximum total grid risk % limit already reached
- Ensure position has moved against entry by activation threshold
- Review logs for grid activation messages
Grid Not Closing at Take Profit:
- Verify Take Profit in Pips is not set to 0
- Check if combined grid profit reaches target (view dashboard)
- Ensure all positions have unified TP set
- Review Grid Rescue settings (may close partially)
High Spread Errors:
- Increase Max pip spread parameter
- Consider switching to low-spread broker
- Avoid trading during high-volatility periods
Insufficient Margin Errors:
- Reduce Maximum grid levels
- Lower Risk % per trade (0.05 = 0.05% risk per position)
- Increase account balance
- Check broker leverage settings
EA Showing Sad Face Icon:
- AutoTrading disabled – click AutoTrading button
- EA has errors – check Experts tab for error messages
- Reattach EA to chart with correct settings
Positions Not Reconstructed After Restart:
- Verify Magic Number for EA identification matches existing positions
- Check if positions are on correct symbol (GBPUSD)
- Enable Enable detailed logs to see reconstruction process
- EA only reconstructs positions with matching magic number
Final Notes
Important Reminders:
- Grid trading requires patience and discipline
- Not every trade will be profitable immediately
- Drawdowns are normal part of grid strategy
- Never trade with money you cannot afford to lose
- Monitor EA regularly but avoid micromanaging
- Trust the system and let it work over time
Success Tips:
- Start conservative, increase risk gradually
- Keep trading journal to track performance
- Review weekly statistics to identify patterns
- Adjust parameters seasonally (volatility changes)
- Stay informed about GBPUSD fundamentals
- Join trading community for shared experiences
Thank you for choosing Big BENg EA. We wish you successful and profitable trading!
Version: 1.0
Last Updated: October 2025
For: MetaTrader 5
Symbol: GBPUSD Only