Condensed Consolidating Financial Information Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions |
Jun. 30, 2015 |
Dec. 31, 2014 |
Jun. 30, 2014 |
Dec. 31, 2013 |
| Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets, Captions [Line Items] |
|
|
|
|
| Cash |
$ 303
|
$ 781
|
$ 631
|
$ 915
|
| Short-term investments |
127
|
245
|
|
|
| Accounts receivable - net |
3,840
|
3,667
|
|
|
| Intercompany accounts receivable |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Inventory |
2,439
|
2,428
|
|
|
| Deferred income taxes |
553
|
593
|
|
|
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets |
382
|
386
|
|
|
| Total current assets |
7,644
|
8,100
|
|
|
| Property, plant and equipment - net |
3,680
|
3,750
|
|
|
| Goodwill |
13,698
|
13,893
|
|
|
| Other intangible assets |
6,282
|
6,556
|
|
|
| Deferred income taxes |
250
|
228
|
|
|
| Investment in subsidiaries |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Intercompany loans receivables |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Other assets |
1,025
|
1,002
|
|
|
| Total assets |
32,579
|
33,529
|
|
|
| Short-term debt |
139
|
2
|
|
|
| Current portion of long-term debt |
842
|
1,008
|
|
|
| Accounts payable |
1,931
|
1,940
|
|
|
| Intercompany accounts payable |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Accrued compensation |
327
|
420
|
|
|
| Other current liabilities |
1,817
|
1,985
|
|
|
| Total current liabilities |
5,056
|
5,355
|
|
|
| Long-term debt |
7,770
|
8,024
|
|
|
| Pension liabilities |
1,552
|
1,812
|
|
|
| Other postretirement benefits liabilities |
507
|
513
|
|
|
| Deferred income taxes |
876
|
901
|
|
|
| Intercompany loans payable |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Other noncurrent liabilities |
1,015
|
1,085
|
|
|
| Total noncurrent liabilities |
11,720
|
12,335
|
|
|
| Eaton shareholders' equity |
15,753
|
15,786
|
|
|
| Noncontrolling interests |
50
|
53
|
|
|
| Total equity |
15,803
|
15,839
|
|
|
| Total liabilities and equity |
32,579
|
33,529
|
|
|
| Eaton Corporation plc [Member] |
|
|
|
|
| Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets, Captions [Line Items] |
|
|
|
|
| Cash |
0
|
1
|
20
|
3
|
| Short-term investments |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Accounts receivable - net |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Intercompany accounts receivable |
2
|
2
|
|
|
| Inventory |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Deferred income taxes |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Total current assets |
2
|
3
|
|
|
| Property, plant and equipment - net |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Goodwill |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Other intangible assets |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Deferred income taxes |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Investment in subsidiaries |
28,861
|
26,612
|
|
|
| Intercompany loans receivables |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Other assets |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Total assets |
28,863
|
26,615
|
|
|
| Short-term debt |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Current portion of long-term debt |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Accounts payable |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Intercompany accounts payable |
84
|
117
|
|
|
| Accrued compensation |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Other current liabilities |
0
|
1
|
|
|
| Total current liabilities |
84
|
118
|
|
|
| Long-term debt |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Pension liabilities |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Other postretirement benefits liabilities |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Deferred income taxes |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Intercompany loans payable |
13,026
|
10,711
|
|
|
| Other noncurrent liabilities |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Total noncurrent liabilities |
13,026
|
10,711
|
|
|
| Eaton shareholders' equity |
15,753
|
15,786
|
|
|
| Noncontrolling interests |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Total equity |
15,753
|
15,786
|
|
|
| Total liabilities and equity |
28,863
|
26,615
|
|
|
| Eaton Corporation [Member] |
|
|
|
|
| Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets, Captions [Line Items] |
|
|
|
|
| Cash |
14
|
173
|
45
|
51
|
| Short-term investments |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Accounts receivable - net |
549
|
500
|
|
|
| Intercompany accounts receivable |
816
|
759
|
|
|
| Inventory |
356
|
397
|
|
|
| Deferred income taxes |
348
|
368
|
|
|
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets |
108
|
96
|
|
|
| Total current assets |
2,191
|
2,293
|
|
|
| Property, plant and equipment - net |
950
|
972
|
|
|
| Goodwill |
1,355
|
1,355
|
|
|
| Other intangible assets |
189
|
196
|
|
|
| Deferred income taxes |
873
|
889
|
|
|
| Investment in subsidiaries |
12,461
|
12,179
|
|
|
| Intercompany loans receivables |
7,656
|
7,542
|
|
|
| Other assets |
559
|
533
|
|
|
| Total assets |
26,234
|
25,959
|
|
|
| Short-term debt |
125
|
0
|
|
|
| Current portion of long-term debt |
601
|
702
|
|
|
| Accounts payable |
468
|
475
|
|
|
| Intercompany accounts payable |
4,023
|
4,125
|
|
|
| Accrued compensation |
58
|
112
|
|
|
| Other current liabilities |
605
|
674
|
|
|
| Total current liabilities |
5,880
|
6,088
|
|
|
| Long-term debt |
7,069
|
7,079
|
|
|
| Pension liabilities |
587
|
726
|
|
|
| Other postretirement benefits liabilities |
280
|
283
|
|
|
| Deferred income taxes |
14
|
0
|
|
|
| Intercompany loans payable |
1,801
|
2,723
|
|
|
| Other noncurrent liabilities |
424
|
457
|
|
|
| Total noncurrent liabilities |
10,175
|
11,268
|
|
|
| Eaton shareholders' equity |
10,179
|
8,603
|
|
|
| Noncontrolling interests |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Total equity |
10,179
|
8,603
|
|
|
| Total liabilities and equity |
26,234
|
25,959
|
|
|
| Guarantors [Member] |
|
|
|
|
| Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets, Captions [Line Items] |
|
|
|
|
| Cash |
8
|
13
|
20
|
10
|
| Short-term investments |
1
|
1
|
|
|
| Accounts receivable - net |
1,075
|
955
|
|
|
| Intercompany accounts receivable |
3,751
|
3,820
|
|
|
| Inventory |
691
|
637
|
|
|
| Deferred income taxes |
128
|
132
|
|
|
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets |
43
|
39
|
|
|
| Total current assets |
5,697
|
5,597
|
|
|
| Property, plant and equipment - net |
752
|
756
|
|
|
| Goodwill |
6,256
|
6,256
|
|
|
| Other intangible assets |
3,717
|
3,811
|
|
|
| Deferred income taxes |
5
|
10
|
|
|
| Investment in subsidiaries |
58,835
|
58,687
|
|
|
| Intercompany loans receivables |
1,430
|
2,249
|
|
|
| Other assets |
132
|
141
|
|
|
| Total assets |
76,824
|
77,507
|
|
|
| Short-term debt |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Current portion of long-term debt |
241
|
304
|
|
|
| Accounts payable |
325
|
340
|
|
|
| Intercompany accounts payable |
2,429
|
3,449
|
|
|
| Accrued compensation |
44
|
59
|
|
|
| Other current liabilities |
312
|
340
|
|
|
| Total current liabilities |
3,351
|
4,492
|
|
|
| Long-term debt |
683
|
932
|
|
|
| Pension liabilities |
140
|
183
|
|
|
| Other postretirement benefits liabilities |
136
|
136
|
|
|
| Deferred income taxes |
1,105
|
1,160
|
|
|
| Intercompany loans payable |
35,774
|
36,162
|
|
|
| Other noncurrent liabilities |
172
|
183
|
|
|
| Total noncurrent liabilities |
38,010
|
38,756
|
|
|
| Eaton shareholders' equity |
35,463
|
34,259
|
|
|
| Noncontrolling interests |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Total equity |
35,463
|
34,259
|
|
|
| Total liabilities and equity |
76,824
|
77,507
|
|
|
| Other subsidiaries [Member] |
|
|
|
|
| Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets, Captions [Line Items] |
|
|
|
|
| Cash |
281
|
594
|
546
|
851
|
| Short-term investments |
126
|
244
|
|
|
| Accounts receivable - net |
2,216
|
2,212
|
|
|
| Intercompany accounts receivable |
3,063
|
4,101
|
|
|
| Inventory |
1,479
|
1,445
|
|
|
| Deferred income taxes |
77
|
93
|
|
|
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets |
212
|
247
|
|
|
| Total current assets |
7,454
|
8,936
|
|
|
| Property, plant and equipment - net |
1,978
|
2,022
|
|
|
| Goodwill |
6,087
|
6,282
|
|
|
| Other intangible assets |
2,376
|
2,549
|
|
|
| Deferred income taxes |
162
|
137
|
|
|
| Investment in subsidiaries |
9,831
|
9,145
|
|
|
| Intercompany loans receivables |
42,492
|
40,635
|
|
|
| Other assets |
334
|
328
|
|
|
| Total assets |
70,714
|
70,034
|
|
|
| Short-term debt |
14
|
2
|
|
|
| Current portion of long-term debt |
0
|
2
|
|
|
| Accounts payable |
1,138
|
1,125
|
|
|
| Intercompany accounts payable |
1,096
|
991
|
|
|
| Accrued compensation |
225
|
249
|
|
|
| Other current liabilities |
911
|
984
|
|
|
| Total current liabilities |
3,384
|
3,353
|
|
|
| Long-term debt |
18
|
13
|
|
|
| Pension liabilities |
825
|
903
|
|
|
| Other postretirement benefits liabilities |
91
|
94
|
|
|
| Deferred income taxes |
547
|
549
|
|
|
| Intercompany loans payable |
977
|
830
|
|
|
| Other noncurrent liabilities |
419
|
445
|
|
|
| Total noncurrent liabilities |
2,877
|
2,834
|
|
|
| Eaton shareholders' equity |
64,410
|
63,802
|
|
|
| Noncontrolling interests |
43
|
45
|
|
|
| Total equity |
64,453
|
63,847
|
|
|
| Total liabilities and equity |
70,714
|
70,034
|
|
|
| Consolidating adjustments [Member] |
|
|
|
|
| Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets, Captions [Line Items] |
|
|
|
|
| Cash |
0
|
0
|
$ 0
|
$ 0
|
| Short-term investments |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Accounts receivable - net |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Intercompany accounts receivable |
(7,632)
|
(8,682)
|
|
|
| Inventory |
(87)
|
(51)
|
|
|
| Deferred income taxes |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets |
19
|
4
|
|
|
| Total current assets |
(7,700)
|
(8,729)
|
|
|
| Property, plant and equipment - net |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Goodwill |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Other intangible assets |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Deferred income taxes |
(790)
|
(808)
|
|
|
| Investment in subsidiaries |
(109,988)
|
(106,623)
|
|
|
| Intercompany loans receivables |
(51,578)
|
(50,426)
|
|
|
| Other assets |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Total assets |
(170,056)
|
(166,586)
|
|
|
| Short-term debt |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Current portion of long-term debt |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Accounts payable |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Intercompany accounts payable |
(7,632)
|
(8,682)
|
|
|
| Accrued compensation |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Other current liabilities |
(11)
|
(14)
|
|
|
| Total current liabilities |
(7,643)
|
(8,696)
|
|
|
| Long-term debt |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Pension liabilities |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Other postretirement benefits liabilities |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Deferred income taxes |
(790)
|
(808)
|
|
|
| Intercompany loans payable |
(51,578)
|
(50,426)
|
|
|
| Other noncurrent liabilities |
0
|
0
|
|
|
| Total noncurrent liabilities |
(52,368)
|
(51,234)
|
|
|
| Eaton shareholders' equity |
(110,052)
|
(106,664)
|
|
|
| Noncontrolling interests |
7
|
8
|
|
|
| Total equity |
(110,045)
|
(106,656)
|
|
|
| Total liabilities and equity |
$ (170,056)
|
$ (166,586)
|
|
|