Derivative Financial Instruments and Hedging Activities - Amounts Recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income
Eaton's target percentage of managing intercompany balance sheet exposure	100.00%
Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income
Gain (loss) recognized in other comprehensive (loss) income	$ (21)	$ 20
Gain (loss) reclassified from Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(8)	16
Floating-to-fixed interest rate swaps \| Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income
Gain (loss) recognized in other comprehensive (loss) income	18	0
Floating-to-fixed interest rate swaps \| Interest expense - net [Member] \| Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income
Gain (loss) reclassified from Accumulated other comprehensive loss	0	0
Currency exchange contracts \| Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income
Gain (loss) recognized in other comprehensive (loss) income	(39)	20
Currency exchange contracts \| Cost of products sold [Member] \| Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income
Gain (loss) reclassified from Accumulated other comprehensive loss	$ (8)	$ 16

Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income.

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- Definition

Percentage of intercompany balance sheet exposure.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

The effective portion of net gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income into income on derivative instruments designated and qualifying as hedging instruments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56946850&loc=SL5624171-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4D
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56946850&loc=SL5624177-113959

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- Definition

The effective portion of gains and losses (net) on derivative instruments designated and qualifying as hedging instruments that was recognized in other comprehensive income during the current period.

+ References

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