My Dad had one - it’s for starting coals in the grill.
I wouldn’t use it in water!! *ZOT*
The element itself is encased in metal alloy tubing, just like a water heater element or engine block heater. I wouldn't be sticking the handle in the water. I'll try it in a plastic tub of water first.
It was some of the junk I cleaned out from my neighbor's barn. The BIG deep freezer doesn't work. It's a Sears & Roebuck to give you an idea of how old it is. Oh well. I can use it for storage. Got a big 4k Onan RV generator that ran when parked. Might be worth something. Got a big wood stove. The type that's in a sheet metal box. Has a fan I haven't plugged in yet.
Got 10 sq bales of good hay so I'm tossing some to the goats every day. Also got a bale of compressed alfalfa hay. He hauled off the junk hay even though he knew I was going to mulch the garden with it. Might save some of the good stuff for that.
Started submitting job applications. Running out of sit on my butt money. Made it through most of the winter at least.
Tested in a cooler. Worked like a charm. 15 minutes from cold to warm so the ringer washer, probably half an hour. Washing nasty jeans in cold water just doesn’t cut it. I have a separate IBC tank just for the ringer washer. This way I won’t have to take hot water that comes from our house water tank. When I had the little front yard garden, water for that came from the house tank which drained it quick.
I have an extra water heater I thought about setting up outside for the ringer washer but then I’d need a pump. Right now, water from the IBC tank will gravity feed through a hose to the washer. The tank sits on a stack of pallets. I have 2x4s sticking out of the top pallet and have a double sink sitting on those and a spigot on the tank. I use it for cleaning when running the smoker or for rinsing/washing my hands. I keep GoJo hand cleaner sitting out there. Some of that off grid ingenuity.