Summary of significant accounting policies (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2012	Dec. 28, 2012	Sep. 28, 2012	Jun. 29, 2012	Mar. 30, 2012	Dec. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011	Jul. 01, 2011	Apr. 01, 2011	Dec. 28, 2012	Dec. 30, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 25, 2009
Summary of significant accounting policies [Abstract]
Number of business segments	3	3									3
Number of weeks in previous fiscal year (in weeks)											53
Number of weeks in normal fiscal year (in weeks)											52
Revision of prior period financial statements
Prior period income tax expense											$ 5,500,000
Revised consolidated balance sheet amounts:
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	21,500,000	21,500,000				22,144,000					21,500,000	22,144,000
Total current assets	147,366,000	147,366,000				136,225,000					147,366,000	136,225,000
Deferred income taxes, non-current	2,443,000	2,443,000				8,549,000					2,443,000	8,549,000
Total assets	188,598,000	188,598,000				181,065,000					188,598,000	181,065,000
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	44,197,000	44,197,000				44,935,000					44,197,000	44,935,000
Total current liabilities	122,255,000	122,255,000				97,737,000					122,255,000	97,737,000
Accumulated deficit	(312,484,000)	(312,484,000)				(280,498,000)					(312,484,000)	(280,498,000)
Total Pulse Electronics Corporation shareholders' deficit	(55,625,000)	(55,625,000)				(39,726,000)					(55,625,000)	(39,726,000)
Total shareholders' deficit	(49,544,000)	(49,544,000)				(32,272,000)					(49,544,000)	(32,272,000)		22,774,000	67,247,000
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	188,598,000	188,598,000				181,065,000					188,598,000	181,065,000
Revised consolidated statements of operations amounts:
Income tax (expense) benefit											(6,979,000)	(23,243,000)		(2,691,000)
Net loss from continuing operations		(12,029,000)	(8,924,000)	(6,494,000)	(4,303,000)	(37,460,000)	[1]	(988,000)	(4,461,000)	(4,989,000)	(31,750,000)	(47,898,000)		(27,737,000)
Net loss											(32,095,000)	(47,926,000)		(37,416,000)
Net loss attributable to Pulse Electronics Corporation		(12,524,000)	(8,959,000)	(6,397,000)	(4,106,000)	(37,768,000)	[1]	(1,140,000)	(4,505,000)	(4,425,000)	(31,986,000)	(47,838,000)		(38,403,000)
Net loss from continuing operations											(31,641,000)	(47,810,000)		(28,724,000)
Net loss attributable to Pulse Electronics Corporation		(12,524,000)	(8,959,000)	(6,397,000)	(4,106,000)	(37,768,000)	[1]	(1,140,000)	(4,505,000)	(4,425,000)	(31,986,000)	(47,838,000)		(38,403,000)
Net loss per share attributable to Pulse Electronics Corporation - Basic (in dollars per share)											$ (0.68)	$ (1.16)		$ (0.7)
Net loss attributable to Pulse Electronics Corporation - Diluted											$ (0.69)	$ (1.16)		$ (0.94)
Cash and cash equivalents [Abstract]
Original maturity of investments considered cash and cash equivalent items, maximum (in months)	3	3									3
Inventory [Abstract]
Inventory provisions	3,900,000	3,900,000				3,700,000					3,900,000	3,700,000
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Carrying amount of goodwill	0	0				0					0	0
Estimated useful lives of intangible assets											1 year
Goodwill and identifiable intangible asset impairment												0		29,700,000
Indefinite-lived tradename impairment														300,000
Revenue recognition [Abstract]
Product return period (in months)											3
Accounts receivable allowances	200,000	200,000				600,000					200,000	600,000
Share-based compensation [Abstract]
Option expiration period (in years)											7 years
Annual vesting percentage (in hundredths)											25.00%
Foreign currency translation [Abstract]
Net foreign exchange loss/(gain) from foreign currency transactions											(200,000)	2,700,000		3,900,000
Research and development [Abstract]
Research and development expense											24,900,000	26,700,000		29,700,000
Costs associated with new technology, new products or significant changes to current products or processes											18,400,000	19,900,000		26,300,000
Income Taxes [Abstract]
Unremitted foreign earnings due to potential future needs in the U.S.	40,000,000										40,000,000
Amount of cash associated with indefinitely reinvested foreign earnings	13,600,000	13,600,000									13,600,000
Restricted Stock [Member]
Share-based compensation [Abstract]
Vesting period (in years)											3 years
Stock Options [Member]
Share-based compensation [Abstract]
Vesting period (in years)											4 years
Maximum [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Estimated useful lives of intangible assets											7 years
Maximum [Member] | Buildings and Improvements [Member]
Property, plant and equipment [Abstract]
Useful lives											30 years
Maximum [Member] | Machinery and Equipment [Member]
Property, plant and equipment [Abstract]
Useful lives											10 years
Maximum [Member] | Software [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Estimated useful lives of intangible assets											7 years
Minimum [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Estimated useful lives of intangible assets											3 years
Minimum [Member] | Buildings and Improvements [Member]
Property, plant and equipment [Abstract]
Useful lives											5 years
Minimum [Member] | Machinery and Equipment [Member]
Property, plant and equipment [Abstract]
Useful lives											2 years
Minimum [Member] | Software [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Estimated useful lives of intangible assets											3 years
As previously reported [Member]
Revised consolidated balance sheet amounts:
Prepaid expenses and other current assets						19,842,000	[1]					19,842,000	[1]
Total current assets						133,923,000	[1]					133,923,000	[1]
Deferred income taxes, non-current						3,223,000	[1]					3,223,000	[1]
Total assets						173,437,000	[1]					173,437,000	[1]
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities						42,855,000	[1]					42,855,000	[1]
Total current liabilities						95,657,000	[1]					95,657,000	[1]
Accumulated deficit						(286,046,000)	[1]					(286,046,000)	[1]
Total Pulse Electronics Corporation shareholders' deficit						(45,274,000)	[1]					(45,274,000)	[1]
Total shareholders' deficit						(37,820,000)	[1]					(37,820,000)	[1]
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit						173,437,000	[1]					173,437,000	[1]
Revised consolidated statements of operations amounts:
Income tax (expense) benefit												(28,791,000)
Net loss from continuing operations												(53,446,000)
Net loss												(53,474,000)
Net loss attributable to Pulse Electronics Corporation												(53,386,000)
Net loss from continuing operations												(53,358,000)
Net loss attributable to Pulse Electronics Corporation												(53,386,000)
Net loss per share attributable to Pulse Electronics Corporation - Basic (in dollars per share)												$ (1.3)
Net loss attributable to Pulse Electronics Corporation - Diluted												$ (1.3)
Adjustment [Member]
Revised consolidated balance sheet amounts:
Prepaid expenses and other current assets						222,000						222,000
Total current assets						222,000						222,000
Deferred income taxes, non-current						5,326,000						5,326,000
Total assets						5,548,000						5,548,000
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities						0						0
Total current liabilities						0						0
Accumulated deficit						5,548,000						5,548,000
Total Pulse Electronics Corporation shareholders' deficit						5,548,000						5,548,000
Total shareholders' deficit						5,548,000						5,548,000
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit						5,548,000						5,548,000
Revised consolidated statements of operations amounts:
Income tax (expense) benefit												5,548,000
Net loss from continuing operations												5,548,000
Net loss												5,548,000
Net loss attributable to Pulse Electronics Corporation												5,548,000
Net loss from continuing operations												5,548,000
Net loss attributable to Pulse Electronics Corporation												5,548,000
Net loss per share attributable to Pulse Electronics Corporation - Basic (in dollars per share)												$ 0.14
Net loss attributable to Pulse Electronics Corporation - Diluted												$ 0.14
Reclassification [Member]
Revised consolidated balance sheet amounts:
Prepaid expenses and other current assets						2,080,000	[1]					2,080,000	[1]
Total current assets						2,080,000	[1]					2,080,000	[1]
Deferred income taxes, non-current						0	[1]					0	[1]
Total assets						2,080,000	[1]					2,080,000	[1]
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities						2,080,000	[1]					2,080,000	[1]
Total current liabilities						2,080,000	[1]					2,080,000	[1]
Accumulated deficit						0	[1]					0	[1]
Total Pulse Electronics Corporation shareholders' deficit						0	[1]					0	[1]
Total shareholders' deficit						0	[1]					0	[1]
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit						$ 2,080,000	[1]					$ 2,080,000	[1]

[1] During the fourth quarter of 2011, we recorded an income tax valuation allowance of $32.5 million. Refer to Note 8, Income taxes, for additional information.