Equity-Based Compensation Performance Share Units (Market Based) (Details)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016 $ / shares
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award Performance Share Units (Market-Based), Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Volatility Rate	24.00%
Share-based Compensation Arrangment by Share-based Payment Award Performance Share Units (Market-Based), Fair Value Assumptions, Risk Free Interest Rate	0.88%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award Performance Share Units (Market-Based), Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 76

Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award Performance Share Units (Market-Based), Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value - The weighted average grant-date fair value of performance share units (market-based) granted during the reporting period as calculated by the award program parameters

No definition available.

Name:	etn_SharebasedCompensationArrangementbySharebasedPaymentAwardPerformanceShareUnitsMarketBasedWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	etn_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration