Welding current source

A welding current source for supplying of a welding current and a welding voltage at an output for the performance of an arc welding process, comprising:

• an input-side rectifier,
• an inverter operated at a switching frequency,
• a transformer with a primary winding and at least first and second secondary windings, the second secondary winding having a greater number of turns than the first secondary winding,
• at least first and second rectifiers, the first rectifier being arranged between the first secondary winding and the output and the second rectifier being arranged between the second secondary winding and the output,
• at least a first capacitor and one load resistor at the output,
• at least a current-limiting inductor arranged on the second secondary winding before the second rectifier, and
• a further current-limiting inductor,
• wherein the load resistor for discharging the first capacitor that can be charged via the current-limiting inductor, the current-limiting inductor, and the first capacitor are dimensioned such that a maximum value of a no-load voltage at the output is greater than a voltage corresponding to the transmission ratio of the primary winding to the second secondary winding of the transformer, and
• wherein the second secondary winding of the transformer has a center tapping, and the second secondary winding of the transformer has first and second terminal connections connected, respectively, to the current-limiting inductor and the further current-limiting inductor.