Every major crypto exchange performs scheduled maintenance windows — typically ranging from 30 minutes to several hours — during which trading is suspended, the API returns errors, and open positions cannot be managed. For a 24/7 automated trading bot, exchange maintenance presents specific operational challenges: the bot may encounter a stream of API errors, attempt to retry orders indefinitely, or (in poorly designed systems) enter an inconsistent state where it believes positions are open or closed when the reality is the opposite. DennTech handles maintenance gracefully through automatic error detection, configurable pause behavior, and a structured restart sequence. This guide explains how to prepare for maintenance windows, what DennTech does automatically, what manual steps are recommended, and how to verify your bot's state after maintenance concludes.
Related guides: Bot Monitoring, Security Checklist, VPS Guide.
Types of Exchange Disruptions
| Type | Duration | Bot Impact | Action Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled maintenance | 30 min – 4 hours | API errors; no trading | Prepare position, monitor restart |
| Unscheduled outage | Minutes to hours | Unexpected API failures | DennTech auto-pause; verify after |
| Partial degradation | Variable | Slow/failed order fills | Monitor fill status; check stuck orders |
| WebSocket disconnection | Seconds to minutes | Price feed gap | DennTech auto-reconnects |
Pre-Maintenance Checklist (Before Scheduled Windows)
- Check open positions: Review all open bot positions in your exchange account. Decide whether to close them before maintenance (removes uncertainty) or hold them through maintenance (assumes price holds stable — not always safe)
- Note open orders: Any open limit orders (stop-losses, take-profits) should be confirmed present before maintenance. They will typically survive maintenance on the exchange's order book
- Pause bot if preferred: Manually pause DennTech's active strategies before maintenance begins to prevent the bot from interpreting post-maintenance price movements as new signals immediately
- Note position prices: Record your open position entry price, size, and current P&L before maintenance — use this to verify correct state after restart
- Check exchange announcement for duration: Binance, OKX, and most major exchanges post maintenance windows with estimated duration. Schedule bot restart accordingly
During Maintenance: What DennTech Does Automatically
- API error detection: DennTech detects 503 Service Unavailable and maintenance-specific error codes from the exchange API
- Automatic pause: Strategy execution pauses automatically when maintenance errors are detected — no new signals are processed
- Retry circuit breaker: API calls are retried with exponential backoff; after a configurable failure threshold, the bot enters maintenance pause mode
- Logging: All maintenance errors are logged with timestamps — review post-maintenance to understand the duration and any stuck states
Post-Maintenance Restart Steps
- Wait for exchange to fully reopen: Some exchanges open trading in stages after maintenance — wait for the "trading is fully resumed" announcement before restarting
- Verify position state: Check your exchange account balance and open positions against your pre-maintenance record — confirm everything matches expected state
- Check order status: Verify stop-loss and take-profit orders are still active on the exchange
- Resume DennTech: Click Resume in the strategy dashboard — DennTech will re-sync exchange state before processing new signals
- Monitor first trade: Watch the first signal and order execution closely after restart to confirm the bot is functioning correctly in the resumed market
Full maintenance handling docs at DennTech docs. See our monitoring guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What happens to my open positions during exchange maintenance and are they safe?
- Open positions and standing orders (including stop-losses) remain intact on the exchange's system during scheduled maintenance — the exchange pauses new trading but does not cancel existing orders or close positions. Your open positions continue to hold your entry, and your stop-loss orders remain queued on the order book ready to execute when trading resumes. The risk: if there is significant price movement immediately at the moment trading resumes (a "restart gap"), your stop-loss may fill at a worse price than expected due to the gap and initial post-maintenance volatility. For positions with tight stops on volatile assets, closing the position before a known maintenance window eliminates this restart-gap risk. For positions with wider stops or on less volatile pairs, holding through maintenance is generally safe. See our stop-loss guide. Compare editions at the pricing page.
- How do I set up DennTech to automatically notify me when the bot pauses due to exchange maintenance?
- DennTech's monitoring and notification system allows configuring alerts for specific bot state changes including: strategy pause (which covers maintenance-induced pauses), API connection failure, and consecutive signal errors. Set up notifications in DennTech's Settings → Notifications panel. The recommended maintenance notification setup: enable "Strategy Pause Alert" and "API Connection Failed Alert" with your notification method (email, Telegram webhook, or desktop alert). When exchange maintenance causes the bot to auto-pause, you'll receive the alert within the normal polling cycle delay (typically 1–3 minutes). For more immediate notification, running the bot on a VPS with Telegram webhook integration is the most reliable alert method since desktop notifications require your local machine to be on. See the full setup in DennTech docs. Explore the live demo. Start at the pricing page.
- Should I run my DennTech bot through exchange maintenance windows or always close positions first?
- The decision depends on position type, profit state, and maintenance duration. For positions comfortably in profit with stop-loss protecting gains: running through short maintenance windows (under 2 hours) is reasonable — the existing stop-loss protects downside and capturing post-maintenance continuation moves can add value. For positions in drawdown or near break-even: closing before maintenance eliminates the risk of a gap-down opening that triggers a worse-than-expected stop-loss fill. For leveraged positions (futures/perpetuals): maintenance windows create wider bid-ask spreads on reopening, meaning fills are less favorable. Consider closing leveraged positions before maintenance windows exceeding 2 hours. For unleveraged spot positions with wide percentage-based stops: holding through maintenance is generally low-risk. There is no universal answer — assess each position individually using these factors before each major maintenance window. See our stop-loss guide. Start at the pricing page.
One final operational tip: keep a simple maintenance log in your trade journal. Record the date and duration of each exchange maintenance window, whether you held or closed positions, and the post-maintenance P&L outcome. Over time this log shows you which maintenance handling approach (hold vs close) performed better for your specific strategies and exchange. Some exchanges schedule maintenance more frequently than others — a log reveals patterns and helps you plan ahead. See our trade journal guide.
Operations guides: Exchange Maintenance (this guide), Bot Monitoring, Security Checklist. Start at the pricing page.