Consolidating Financial Information - Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows (Details 2) (USD $) In Millions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 177.0	$ 397.0
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(84.8)	(57.9)
Cash paid for acquired businesses	(250.1)	(21.6)
Cash restricted for business acquisition		(34.9)
Proceeds from sales of property, plant and equipment and other	15.8	(4.6)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(319.1)	(119.0)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Short-term debt, net	(4.6)	(2.3)
Debt issuance costs	(1.0)
Dividends	(141.4)	(132.7)
Purchases of treasury shares	(383.0)	(276.0)
Excess tax benefits from stock options and awards	13.3	4.8
Proceeds from exercise of stock options and other	54.8	34.5
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(461.9)	(371.7)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(0.7)	8.1
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(604.7)	(85.6)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	1,035.3	381.6
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	430.6	296.0
Cooper Industries plc [Member]
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	1.8	1.2
Cash flows from investing activities:
Investments in affiliates		(1.9)
Loans to affiliates		(40.0)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		(41.9)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Debt issuance costs	(0.5)
Borrowings from affiliates	455.2	419.1
Repayments of loans to affiliates	(42.8)	(154.9)
Other intercompany financing activities	70.7	63.5
Dividends	(141.4)	(132.7)
Purchases of treasury shares	(383.0)	(276.0)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options and other	54.8	34.5
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	13.0	(46.5)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	14.8	(87.2)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	63.2	146.0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	78.0	58.8
Cooper US, Inc. [Member]
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(94.9)	(68.1)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(8.9)	(3.6)
Investments in affiliates		(44.0)
Loans to affiliates		(604.1)
Repayments of loans from affiliates	1,118.4	447.3
Dividends from affiliates	22.0	1.9
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	1,131.5	(202.5)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Debt issuance costs	(0.5)
Borrowings from affiliates	820.0	600.4
Repayments of loans to affiliates	(592.1)	(162.0)
Other intercompany financing activities	(1,195.1)	129.2
Dividends paid to affiliates		(270.4)
Excess tax benefits from stock options and awards	13.3	4.8
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(954.8)	302.0
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	81.8	31.4
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	36.8	27.9
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	118.6	59.3
Guarantors [Member]
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	83.9	230.8
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(51.3)	(26.7)
Cash paid for acquired businesses	(3.5)
Repayments of loans from affiliates		5.0
Dividends from affiliates	18.8	13.3
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(36.0)	(8.4)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings from affiliates		909.2
Repayments of loans to affiliates	(1,045.0)	(1,239.6)
Other intercompany financing activities	1,002.6	109.1
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(42.4)	(221.3)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	5.5	1.1
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	2.6	0.3
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	8.1	1.4
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	186.2	233.1
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(24.6)	(27.6)
Cash paid for acquired businesses	(246.6)	(21.6)
Cash restricted for business acquisition		(34.9)
Investments in affiliates		(67.9)
Loans to affiliates	(1,275.2)	(1,752.7)
Repayments of loans from affiliates	634.9	1,112.5
Dividends from affiliates		270.4
Proceeds from sales of property, plant and equipment and other	15.8	(4.6)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(895.7)	(526.4)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Short-term debt, net	(4.6)	(2.3)
Borrowings from affiliates		468.1
Repayments of loans to affiliates	(73.4)	(8.3)
Other intercompany financing activities	122.2	(301.8)
Dividends paid to affiliates	(40.8)	(15.2)
Issuance of stock to affiliates		113.8
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	3.4	254.3
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(0.7)	8.1
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(706.8)	(30.9)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	932.7	207.4
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	225.9	176.5
Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Cash flows from investing activities:
Investments in affiliates		113.8
Loans to affiliates	1,275.2	2,396.8
Repayments of loans from affiliates	(1,753.3)	(1,564.8)
Dividends from affiliates	(40.8)	(285.6)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(518.9)	660.2
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings from affiliates	(1,275.2)	(2,396.8)
Repayments of loans to affiliates	1,753.3	1,564.8
Dividends paid to affiliates	40.8	285.6
Issuance of stock to affiliates		(113.8)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	518.9	(660.2)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 0	$ 0