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Keeping equipment clean plays an important role in routine equipment maintenance. However, care should be exercised when using solvents such as alcohol, carbon tet, or other wax dissolving substances around ceramic material such as steatite, isolantite, etc.
Most ceramic material used in switches, tube-sockets and the like are impregnated at the factory with a waxy substance. This prevents moisture from collecting in the small pores of the material. When this substance is removed by the cleaning solvent, the voltage breakdown point of the material is decreased, leakage may develop, and general insulating quality, especially at high frequencies, will suffer.