Welding wire cartridge with moisture protection

A welding wire cartridge for holding a welding wire protected against moisture, comprising:

• a purging air supply line for supplying dried purging air;
• a purging air feed arranged to receive the dried purging air discharged from the purging air supply line;
• and
• a purging air discharge having a purging air outlet for discharging dried purging air out of the welding wire cartridge,
• wherein the purging air supply line, the purging air feed and the purging air discharge are provided on the welding wire cartridge,
• wherein a flow of dried purging air through the welding wire cartridge is adjustable in the purging air supply line such that:
• a first pressure is present upstream of the adjustment of the flow in the purging air supply line,
• a second pressure, which is lower than the first pressure, is present downstream of the adjustment of the flow in the purging air supply line and at the purging air feed, and
• a third pressure, which is lower than the second pressure, is present at the purging air outlet, so that a pressure differential results across the welding wire cartridge,
• wherein the second pressure at the purging air feed results from the adjusted flow, the third pressure and a flow resistance between the purging air feed and the purging air outlet,
• whereby a reduction in relative humidity of the dried purging air results from a relief of pressure from the first pressure to the second pressure.