Baptistry GFCI Protection

[SoundEmperor]

So I'm working on a 1970's Church Baptistry (full submersion) pool heater/pump system. The system uses a 240V (actually 208V on this service) 6KW heater element, and a circulation pump to heat the water. It was connected with old cloth covered NM cable, 2-#10 wires plus a tiny ground), which I have replaced properly with conduit and #10 THHN. The heater unit is wired to a dryer type plug, and plugged into a receptacle below the Baptistry (5ft above slab). I ordered a 2-pole GFCI circuit breaker since the old breaker was not GFCI, but the system has no neutral connection--only ground to the chassis. Will the GFCI work with no neutral connected to the load? I have search all over the place for a schematic of an actual GFCI so I could see for myself (from and engineering standpoint) if it will work, but can't find one, at least not for a 2-pole circuit breaker like this.
I don't normally do pools, but rather technical power systems, so I just want to make sure I haven't missed something!

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Welcome to the forum.

Yes the gfci will work without a load neutral but the gfci neutral must be connected to the neutral bar.

 

[SoundEmperor]

So, I appreciate the answer, but I would still like a schematic so I can see for myself. Anyone have a schematic?

 

[Little Bill]

So, I appreciate the answer, but I would still like a schematic so I can see for myself. Anyone have a schematic?

I don't have time at the present to look up a schematic but maybe I can shed some light.
The neutral on a 2-pole GFCI is only for the electronics in the breaker such as the test button, light, etc. The GFCI itself looking for an imbalance between either neutral and ground or hot to hot, or hot and ground. Since some 2-pole/2-wire hot circuits don't require or use a neutral, the return current is on the opposite leg. So if the current going in one leg and returning on the other is balanced, the GFCI will not trip. If one leg maybe took a different path, such as a human or ground, the GFCI would sense an imbalance and trip.

Note: I've installed the electrical for lots of pools, hot tubs, and even a baptistry. All using a 2-pole GFCI without a neutral, and they all work. As was mentioned, the neutral on the breaker itself has to be connected to the neutral bar in order for the electronics to function.

 

[LarryFine]

So, I appreciate the answer, but I would still like a schematic so I can see for myself. Anyone have a schematic?

You don't need one. A GFCI breaker looks and installs just like any breaker, except:

There will be a white pigtail that needs to be landed on the panel's neutral bus.

A 2-pole GFCI breaker might have a load neutral terminal that you can ignore.

 

[drcampbell]

Internally, they're the same as a single-pole GFCI, except that all three (or four, if it's a three-phase device) current-carrying conductors pass through the current-sense transformer.