Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 19,747	$ 20,855	$ 22,552
Cost of products sold	13,400	14,292	15,646
Selling and administrative expense	3,505	3,596	3,810
Settlement amount			644
Litigation settlements	0	0	644
Research and development expense	589	625	647
Interest expense (income) - net	233	232	227
Other expense (income) - net	(107)	(35)	(183)
Equity in (earnings) loss of subsidiaries, net of tax	0	0	0
Intercompany expense (income) - net	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	2,127	2,145	1,761
Income tax (benefit) expense	202	164	(42)
Net income	1,925	1,981	1,803
Less net income for noncontrolling interests	(3)	(2)	(10)
Net income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	1,922	1,979	1,793
Other comprehensive (loss) income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	(585)	(964)	(1,339)
Total comprehensive income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	1,337	1,015	454
Eaton Corporation plc [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Cost of products sold	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expense	141	141	171
Settlement amount			0
Research and development expense	0	0	0
Interest expense (income) - net	0	0	0
Other expense (income) - net	(35)	0	0
Equity in (earnings) loss of subsidiaries, net of tax	(2,439)	(2,456)	(2,191)
Intercompany expense (income) - net	411	336	227
Income before income taxes	1,922	1,979	1,793
Income tax (benefit) expense	0	0	0
Net income	1,922	1,979	1,793
Less net income for noncontrolling interests	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	1,922	1,979	1,793
Other comprehensive (loss) income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	(585)	(964)	(1,339)
Total comprehensive income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	1,337	1,015	454
Eaton Corporation [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	6,447	6,925	6,990
Cost of products sold	5,078	5,508	5,519
Selling and administrative expense	1,155	1,223	1,246
Settlement amount			644
Research and development expense	235	266	240
Interest expense (income) - net	230	222	225
Other expense (income) - net	(48)	0	(17)
Equity in (earnings) loss of subsidiaries, net of tax	(741)	(789)	(657)
Intercompany expense (income) - net	(157)	(425)	(263)
Income before income taxes	695	920	53
Income tax (benefit) expense	34	103	(100)
Net income	661	817	153
Less net income for noncontrolling interests	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	661	817	153
Other comprehensive (loss) income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	53	6	(191)
Total comprehensive income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	714	823	(38)
Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	6,351	6,659	6,885
Cost of products sold	4,686	5,036	5,075
Selling and administrative expense	760	738	742
Settlement amount			0
Research and development expense	186	197	202
Interest expense (income) - net	18	21	25
Other expense (income) - net	42	24	(81)
Equity in (earnings) loss of subsidiaries, net of tax	(3,322)	(3,285)	(2,660)
Intercompany expense (income) - net	1,230	1,218	855
Income before income taxes	2,751	2,710	2,727
Income tax (benefit) expense	28	(69)	79
Net income	2,723	2,779	2,648
Less net income for noncontrolling interests	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	2,723	2,779	2,648
Other comprehensive (loss) income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	(567)	(952)	(1,370)
Total comprehensive income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	2,156	1,827	1,278
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	11,961	12,533	13,521
Cost of products sold	8,649	8,981	9,882
Selling and administrative expense	1,449	1,494	1,651
Settlement amount			0
Research and development expense	168	162	205
Interest expense (income) - net	(14)	(13)	(29)
Other expense (income) - net	(66)	(59)	(85)
Equity in (earnings) loss of subsidiaries, net of tax	(898)	(689)	(295)
Intercompany expense (income) - net	(1,484)	(1,129)	(819)
Income before income taxes	4,157	3,786	3,011
Income tax (benefit) expense	139	141	(14)
Net income	4,018	3,645	3,025
Less net income for noncontrolling interests	(5)	(3)	(8)
Net income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	4,013	3,642	3,017
Other comprehensive (loss) income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	(803)	(1,179)	(1,646)
Total comprehensive income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	3,210	2,463	1,371
Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	(5,012)	(5,262)	(4,844)
Cost of products sold	(5,013)	(5,233)	(4,830)
Selling and administrative expense	0	0	0
Settlement amount			0
Research and development expense	0	0	0
Interest expense (income) - net	(1)	2	6
Other expense (income) - net	0	0	0
Equity in (earnings) loss of subsidiaries, net of tax	7,400	7,219	5,803
Intercompany expense (income) - net	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	(7,398)	(7,250)	(5,823)
Income tax (benefit) expense	1	(11)	(7)
Net income	(7,399)	(7,239)	(5,816)
Less net income for noncontrolling interests	2	1	(2)
Net income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	(7,397)	(7,238)	(5,818)
Other comprehensive (loss) income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	1,317	2,125	3,207
Total comprehensive income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	$ (6,080)	$ (5,113)	$ (2,611)