Abstract: An automatic facility for the connection of combination arc electrodes to a cooling water circuit, comprising a cooling water coupling device (17) mounted on the supporting arm (3) of the electrode, which on the one hand is connected to cooling water ducts (15, 15') and which on the other hand has openings (19, 19', 19") into which the free ends (21, 21') of cooling water guides (7,8) may be inserted, which are connected to the heat exchanger (1) of the combination electrode. By means of a fixing device (11, 11') mounted e.g. on the ring flange (9) of a contact device which is axially movable on the electrode, these ends of the cooling water guides may be positioned in such a way that, when slipping the electrode down through the clamping device (4) of the supporting arm (3) of the electrode, the free ends (21, 21') automatically assume an angle orientation which makes it possible to neatly insert these ends into the openings (19, 19') of the cooling water coupling device (17).