Welding wire cartridge with moisture protection

A welding wire cartridge for holding a welding wire (2, 2′, 2″) having a protective device (4) against moisture, wherein a purging air feed (15), into which a purging air supply line (13) for supplying dry purging air discharges, and a purging air discharge (16) having a purging air outlet (24) for discharging purging air out of the welding wire cartridge (1, 1a, 1b) are provided on the welding wire cartridge (1, 1a, 1b), characterized in that a flow control unit (14) is arranged in the purging air supply line (13) that adjusts a flow (D1) of purging air through the welding wire cartridge (1, 1a, 1b), in that a first pressure (p) is present upstream of the flow control unit (14) in the purging air supply line (13), in that a second pressure (p1), which is lower than the first pressure (p), is present downstream of the flow control unit (14) in the purging air supply line (13) and at the purging air feed (15), in that a third pressure (pat), which is lower than the second pressure (p1), is present at the purging air outlet (24), so that a pressure differential (p1−pat) results across the welding wire cartridge (1, 1a, 1b) and in that the second pressure (p1) at the purging air feed (15) results from the adjusted flow (D1), the third pressure (pat) and the flow resistance between the purging air feed (15) and the purging air outlet (24), whereby the relative humidity (rF1) of the purging air is reduced as a result of the relief of pressure from the first pressure (p) to the second pressure (p1).