CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 5,132	$ 5,080	$ 9,980	$ 9,893
Cost of products sold	3,450	3,419	6,760	6,710
Selling and administrative expense	902	897	1,787	1,789
Research and development expense	150	149	293	298
Interest expense (income) - net	60	57	121	114
Other expense (income) - net	0	5	(15)	(13)
Equity in loss (earnings) of subsidiaries, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Intercompany expense (income) - net	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	570	553	1,034	995
Income tax expense (benefit)	54	61	86	100
Net income	516	492	948	895
Less net loss (income) for noncontrolling interests	(1)	(1)	(1)	0
Net income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	515	491	947	895
Other comprehensive income	323	(255)	586	18
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	838	236	1,533	913
Other subsidiaries [Member]
Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	3,164	3,057	6,155	5,930
Cost of products sold	2,248	2,224	4,429	4,294
Selling and administrative expense	329	346	662	675
Research and development expense	40	47	82	85
Interest expense (income) - net	(4)	(7)	(8)	(10)
Other expense (income) - net	(11)	(4)	32	(18)
Equity in loss (earnings) of subsidiaries, net of tax	(114)	(132)	(225)	(229)
Intercompany expense (income) - net	(419)	(380)	(823)	(697)
Income before income taxes	1,095	963	2,070	1,830
Income tax expense (benefit)	51	36	68	67
Net income	1,044	927	2,002	1,763
Less net loss (income) for noncontrolling interests	(1)	(2)	(2)	(2)
Net income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	1,043	925	2,000	1,761
Other comprehensive income	408	(319)	731	(10)
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	1,451	606	2,731	1,751
Guarantors
Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	1,672	1,648	3,267	3,223
Cost of products sold	1,225	1,203	2,413	2,403
Selling and administrative expense	197	198	391	394
Research and development expense	53	47	100	96
Interest expense (income) - net	6	6	11	9
Other expense (income) - net	(37)	6	(38)	4
Equity in loss (earnings) of subsidiaries, net of tax	(853)	(811)	(1,725)	(1,484)
Intercompany expense (income) - net	339	313	672	568
Income before income taxes	742	686	1,443	1,233
Income tax expense (benefit)	3	12	19	13
Net income	739	674	1,424	1,220
Less net loss (income) for noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	739	674	1,424	1,220
Other comprehensive income	322	(248)	592	30
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	1,061	426	2,016	1,250
Eaton Corporation plc [Member]
Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Cost of products sold	0	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expense	34	2	66	4
Research and development expense	0	0	0	0
Interest expense (income) - net	0	0	0	0
Other expense (income) - net	41	0	48	0
Equity in loss (earnings) of subsidiaries, net of tax	(704)	(594)	(1,285)	(1,098)
Intercompany expense (income) - net	114	101	224	199
Income before income taxes	515	491	947	895
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Net income	515	491	947	895
Less net loss (income) for noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	515	491	947	895
Other comprehensive income	323	(255)	586	18
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	838	236	1,533	913
Eaton Corporation [Member]
Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	1,696	1,644	3,268	3,182
Cost of products sold	1,373	1,263	2,626	2,459
Selling and administrative expense	342	351	668	716
Research and development expense	57	55	111	117
Interest expense (income) - net	58	57	118	110
Other expense (income) - net	7	3	7	1
Equity in loss (earnings) of subsidiaries, net of tax	(185)	(154)	(375)	(322)
Intercompany expense (income) - net	(34)	(34)	(73)	(70)
Income before income taxes	78	103	186	171
Income tax expense (benefit)	3	13	0	20
Net income	75	90	186	151
Less net loss (income) for noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	75	90	186	151
Other comprehensive income	(10)	0	50	44
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	65	90	236	195
Consolidating adjustments [Member]
Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	(1,400)	(1,269)	(2,710)	(2,442)
Cost of products sold	(1,396)	(1,271)	(2,708)	(2,446)
Selling and administrative expense	0	0	0	0
Research and development expense	0	0	0	0
Interest expense (income) - net	0	1	0	5
Other expense (income) - net	0	0	0	0
Equity in loss (earnings) of subsidiaries, net of tax	1,856	1,691	3,610	3,133
Intercompany expense (income) - net	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	(1,860)	(1,690)	(3,612)	(3,134)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(3)	0	(1)	0
Net income	(1,857)	(1,690)	(3,611)	(3,134)
Less net loss (income) for noncontrolling interests	0	1	1	2
Net income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	(1,857)	(1,689)	(3,610)	(3,132)
Other comprehensive income	(720)	567	(1,373)	(64)
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	$ (2,577)	$ (1,122)	$ (4,983)	$ (3,196)