An electrode column and a method of determining the length of the electrode in it in an active furnace. The column is a Soderberg column including a mantel in which the electrode is movable in an axial direction by lower and upper slipping clamps which are movable relatively to each other by slipping cylinders. The method includes the steps of moving, with the slip clamps, the electrode in a downslip relatively to the mantel with the slipping cylinders and gravity and measuring the force required to move the electrode with only the upper slipping clamp against predetermined reaction forces acting against movement of the electrode and computing these parameters to determine the mass and so the length of the electrode relatively to the theoretical mass of the undamaged electrode at the time of movement.