v2.4.0.8

Acquisitions of Businesses Assets and Liabilities Acquired (Details) (Cooper Industries plc [Domain], USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | Nov. 30, 2012
--- | ---
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |
Working capital accounts acquired | $ 2,314 | [1]
Prepaid expenses and other current assets | 339 |
Property, plant, and equipment | 940 |
Investment in Apex Tool Group, LLC | 800 |
Intangible assets | 4,577 |
Other assets | 35 |
Debt | (1,221) |
Accounts payable | (519) |
Other current liabilities | (634) |
Other noncurrent liabilites | (1,943) |
Total identifiable net assets | 4,688 |
Goodwill | 8,504 |
Total consideration | 13,192 |
Revised purchase price allocation [Domain] |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |
Working capital accounts acquired | 2,304 | [1]
Prepaid expenses and other current assets | 204 |
Property, plant, and equipment | 885 |
Investment in Apex Tool Group, LLC | 807 |
Intangible assets | 5,250 |
Other assets | 35 |
Debt | (1,221) |
Accounts payable | (519) |
Other current liabilities | (673) |
Other noncurrent liabilites | (2,185) |
Total identifiable net assets | 4,887 |
Goodwill | 8,305 |
Total consideration | 13,192 |
Purchase Price Allocation Adjustments [Member] |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |
Working capital accounts acquired | (10) | [1]
Prepaid expenses and other current assets | (135) |
Property, plant, and equipment | (55) |
Investment in Apex Tool Group, LLC | 7 |
Intangible assets | 673 |
Other assets | 0 |
Debt | 0 |
Accounts payable | 0 |
Other current liabilities | (39) |
Other noncurrent liabilites | (242) |
Total identifiable net assets | 199 |
Goodwill | (199) |
Total consideration | $ 0 |
[1] | Working capital accounts include Cash, Short-term investments, Accounts receivable and Inventory.

X
- Definition Goodwill related to Cooper acquistion + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | etn_GoodwillRelatedToCooperAcquistion
Namespace Prefix: | etn_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Investment in Apex Tool Group, LLC + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | etn_InvestmentInApexToolGroupLlc
Namespace Prefix: | etn_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Purchase price of Cooper + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | etn_PurchasePriceOfCooper
Namespace Prefix: | etn_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Working capital accounts acquired + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | etn_WorkingCapitalAccountsAcquired
Namespace Prefix: | etn_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of asset related to consideration paid in advance for costs that provide economic benefits in future periods, and amount of other assets that are expected to be realized or consumed within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer, acquired at the acquisition date. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6910749&loc=d3e4845-128472 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedCurrentAssetsPrepaidExpenseAndOtherAssets
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of liabilities incurred for goods and services received that are used in an entity's business and related party payables, assumed at the acquisition date. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6910749&loc=d3e4845-128472 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedCurrentLiabilitiesAccountsPayable
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of other liabilities due within one year or within the normal operating cycle, if longer, assumed at the acquisition date. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6910749&loc=d3e4845-128472 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedCurrentLiabilitiesOther
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of intangible assets, excluding goodwill, acquired at the acquisition date. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6910749&loc=d3e4845-128472 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibleAssetsOtherThanGoodwill
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount recognized as of the acquisition date for the identifiable assets acquired in excess of (less than) the aggregate liabilities assumed. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6910749&loc=d3e4845-128472 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 37 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25498275&loc=d3e2207-128464 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedNet
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of long-term debt due after one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer, assumed at the acquisition date. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6910749&loc=d3e4845-128472 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedNoncurrentLiabilitiesLongTermDebt
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of other liabilities due after one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer, assumed at the acquisition date. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6910749&loc=d3e4845-128472 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedNoncurrentLiabilitiesOther
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of other assets expected to be realized or consumed after one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer, acquired at the acquisition date. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6910749&loc=d3e4845-128472 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedOtherNoncurrentAssets
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The amount of property, plant, and equipment recognized as of the acquisition date. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6910749&loc=d3e4845-128472 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 37 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25498275&loc=d3e2207-128464 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedPropertyPlantAndEquipment
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant