Circuit arrangement for igniting thin rods (3, 4, 5) composed of electrically conductive material, having the following features: - a three-phase alternating-current transformer having a primary side and a secondary side; - a plurality of secondary winding systems (15, 16, 17, 18) in three winding phases (50, 51, 52) are wound on the secondary side, wherein the different winding systems (15, 16, 17, 18) correspond to different voltage levels and the three winding phases (50, 51, 52) correspond to the three phases of the three-phase transformer; - the three winding phases (50, 51, 52) each have a plurality of taps (53, 54, 55); - controllable switches for tapping the voltages (43, 44, 45) at the taps (53, 54, 55) of the respective winding phases (50, 51, 52) for the supply of power to the thin rods (3, 4, 5); wherein - the secondary winding systems (15, 16, 17, 18) in the three winding phases (50, 51, 52) are wound as a zigzag system; - the thin rods (3, 4, 5) are connected between the three winding phases (50, 51, 52) of the three-phase transformer by means of a three-phase auxiliary alternating-current transformer or three single-phase auxiliary transformers (21, 22, 23), wherein the auxiliary three-phase transformer or the auxiliary transformers (21, 22, 23) are connected to the taps (53, 54, 55) of the respective winding phases (50, 51, 52) by means of the controllable switches so that the voltages (43, 44, 45) applied to the auxiliary transformers (21, 22, 23) by means of the controllable switches form a closed triangle system and cancel each other out; - the thin rods (3, 4, 5) are connected in series with an AC source, which takes over the supply of voltage to the thin rods (3, 4, 5) when the thin rods (3, 4, 5) are ignited and the auxiliary three-phase transformer or the auxiliary transformers (21, 22, 23) have been isolated from the secondary side of the three-phase transformer by means of the controllable switches. - a three-phase alternating-current transformer having a primary side and a secondary side; - a plurality of secondary winding systems (15, 16, 17, 18) in three winding phases (50, 51, 52) are wound on the secondary side, wherein the different winding systems (15, 16, 17, 18) correspond to different voltage levels and the three winding phases (50, 51, 52) correspond to the three phases of the three-phase transformer; - the three winding phases (50, 51, 52) each have a plurality of taps (53, 54, 55); - controllable switches for tapping the voltages (43, 44, 45) at the taps (53, 54, 55) of the respective winding phases (50, 51, 52) for the supply of power to the thin rods (3, 4, 5); - the secondary winding systems (15, 16, 17, 18) in the three winding phases (50, 51, 52) are wound as a zigzag system; - the thin rods (3, 4, 5) are connected between the three winding phases (50, 51, 52) of the three-phase transformer by means of a three-phase auxiliary alternating-current transformer or three single-phase auxiliary transformers (21, 22, 23), wherein the auxiliary three-phase transformer or the auxiliary transformers (21, 22, 23) are connected to the taps (53, 54, 55) of the respective winding phases (50, 51, 52) by means of the controllable switches so that the voltages (43, 44, 45) applied to the auxiliary transformers (21, 22, 23) by means of the controllable switches form a closed triangle system and cancel each other out; - the thin rods (3, 4, 5) are connected in series with an AC source, which takes over the supply of voltage to the thin rods (3, 4, 5) when the thin rods (3, 4, 5) are ignited and the auxiliary three-phase transformer or the auxiliary transformers (21, 22, 23) have been isolated from the secondary side of the three-phase transformer by means of the controllable switches.