Welding device with a central unit (2; 35) and a welding torch unit (18; 30), which can be connected to the central unit (2; 35), wherein a) the central unit (2; 35) comprises at least one welding current source (3; 36, 37) for providing electric current needed to operate the welding torch unit (18; 30) and comprises a control unit, b) the welding torch unit (18; 30) comprises at least a first welding torch with a first welding wire and a second welding torch with a second welding wire, and the first welding torch is configured to carry out a first welding process and the second welding torch is configured to carry out a second welding process, the two welding torches (31, 32) being operable independently of one another, c) the control unit is configured to carry out a starting process in such a way that firstly a first arc ignition takes place at one of the two welding torches and after a waiting time since the first arc ignition has passed, a second arc ignition takes place at the other of the two welding torches, which until then was not ignited, characterised in that d) the control unit is configured, before or during the first arc ignition taking place at the one of the two welding torches, to bring about a forward movement of the welding wire of the other of the two welding torches before the arc ignition thereof in the direction of a workpiece to be welded, to detect a short circuit of this welding wire with the workpiece, and then to transfer the welding wire end of the welding wire of the other of the two welding torches into a waiting position, the welding wire end of the other of the two welding torches being in the waiting position until the end of the waiting time. a) the central unit (2; 35) comprises at least one welding current source (3; 36, 37) for providing electric current needed to operate the welding torch unit (18; 30) and comprises a control unit, b) the welding torch unit (18; 30) comprises at least a first welding torch with a first welding wire and a second welding torch with a second welding wire, and the first welding torch is configured to carry out a first welding process and the second welding torch is configured to carry out a second welding process, the two welding torches (31, 32) being operable independently of one another, c) the control unit is configured to carry out a starting process in such a way that firstly a first arc ignition takes place at one of the two welding torches and after a waiting time since the first arc ignition has passed, a second arc ignition takes place at the other of the two welding torches, which until then was not ignited, d) the control unit is configured, before or during the first arc ignition taking place at the one of the two welding torches, to bring about a forward movement of the welding wire of the other of the two welding torches before the arc ignition thereof in the direction of a workpiece to be welded, to detect a short circuit of this welding wire with the workpiece, and then to transfer the welding wire end of the welding wire of the other of the two welding torches into a waiting position, the welding wire end of the other of the two welding torches being in the waiting position until the end of the waiting time.