Abstract: A process for treating continuous elements or wires made of electrically conductive materials, wherein said elements are passed through a liquid treatment bath. It is characterized by the fact that, before immersing them in said bath, said elements or wires are heated up to a temperature by supplying electric current through a contact bath upstream said treatment bath. A preliminary bath is preferably provided and the contact bath is brought to a high voltage with respect to both the treatment bath and the preliminary bath. Regulation of the temperature of the each individual element entering the treatment bath may be performing by controlling the current intensity so as to maintain constant the electric resistance of the element there.