Condensed Consolidating Financial Information Condensed Income Statement (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 5,492	$ 5,310
Cost of products sold	3,858	3,735
Selling and administrative expense	962	958
Research and development expense	162	152
Interest expense (income) - net	62	75
Other expense (income) - net	(5)	(10)
Equity in (earnings) loss of subsidiaries, net of tax	0	0
Intercompany expense (income) - net	0	0
Income before income taxes	453	400
Income tax (benefit) expense	12	20
Net income	441	380
Less net income for noncontrolling interests	(2)	(2)
Net income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	439	378
Other comprehensive income (loss)	3	(235)
Total comprehensive income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	442	143
Eaton Corporation plc [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0
Cost of products sold	0	0
Selling and administrative expense	2	2
Research and development expense	0	0
Interest expense (income) - net	0	0
Other expense (income) - net	0	0
Equity in (earnings) loss of subsidiaries, net of tax	(469)	(444)
Intercompany expense (income) - net	28	64
Income before income taxes	439	378
Income tax (benefit) expense	0	0
Net income	439	378
Less net income for noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	439	378
Other comprehensive income (loss)	3	(235)
Total comprehensive income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	442	143
Eaton Corporation [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	1,667	1,588
Cost of products sold	1,342	1,239
Selling and administrative expense	361	341
Research and development expense	60	58
Interest expense (income) - net	59	74
Other expense (income) - net	5	(5)
Equity in (earnings) loss of subsidiaries, net of tax	(207)	(309)
Intercompany expense (income) - net	(71)	(102)
Income before income taxes	118	292
Income tax (benefit) expense	(25)	(2)
Net income	143	294
Less net income for noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	143	294
Other comprehensive income (loss)	28	(22)
Total comprehensive income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	171	272
Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	1,641	1,573
Cost of products sold	1,218	1,195
Selling and administrative expense	200	198
Research and development expense	50	47
Interest expense (income) - net	7	7
Other expense (income) - net	3	8
Equity in (earnings) loss of subsidiaries, net of tax	(485)	(567)
Intercompany expense (income) - net	120	176
Income before income taxes	528	509
Income tax (benefit) expense	(7)	(37)
Net income	535	546
Less net income for noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	535	546
Other comprehensive income (loss)	23	(233)
Total comprehensive income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	558	313
Other subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	3,291	3,273
Cost of products sold	2,392	2,425
Selling and administrative expense	399	417
Research and development expense	52	47
Interest expense (income) - net	(6)	(6)
Other expense (income) - net	(13)	(13)
Equity in (earnings) loss of subsidiaries, net of tax	(201)	(166)
Intercompany expense (income) - net	(77)	(138)
Income before income taxes	745	707
Income tax (benefit) expense	49	59
Net income	696	648
Less net income for noncontrolling interests	(2)	(2)
Net income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	694	646
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(15)	(391)
Total comprehensive income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	679	255
Consolidating adjustments [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	(1,107)	(1,124)
Cost of products sold	(1,094)	(1,124)
Selling and administrative expense	0	0
Research and development expense	0	0
Interest expense (income) - net	2	0
Other expense (income) - net	0	0
Equity in (earnings) loss of subsidiaries, net of tax	1,362	1,486
Intercompany expense (income) - net	0	0
Income before income taxes	(1,377)	(1,486)
Income tax (benefit) expense	(5)	0
Net income	(1,372)	(1,486)
Less net income for noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	(1,372)	(1,486)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(36)	646
Total comprehensive income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	$ (1,408)	$ (840)