v3.2.0.727
Condensed Consolidating Financial Information Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Millions
 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2015
Jun. 30, 2014
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows, Captions [Line Items]    
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities $ 656 $ 645
Cash paid for acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired (38) 0
Capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment (246) (236)
Sales of short-term investments - net 109 162
Payments to Acquire Investments 0  
Loans to affiliates 0 0
Repayments of loans from affiliates 0 0
Proceeds from sale of businesses 1 273
Other - net (33) (51)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities (207) 148
Proceeds from borrowings 137 0
Payments on borrowings (404) (576)
Proceeds from borrowings from affiliates 0  
Payments on borrowings from affiliates 0 0
Proceeds from borrowings from affiliates 0 0
Other intercompany financing activities 0 0
Cash dividends paid (514) (467)
Exercise of employee stock options 46 44
Repurchase of shares (170) (99)
Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation 0 20
Other - net (7) 0
Net cash used in financing activities (912) (1,078)
Effect of currency on cash (15) 1
Total decrease in cash (478) (284)
Cash at the beginning of the period 781 915
Cash at the end of the period 303 631
Eaton Corporation plc [Member]    
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows, Captions [Line Items]    
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities (84) 8
Cash paid for acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired 0  
Capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment 0 0
Sales of short-term investments - net 0 0
Payments to Acquire Investments (1,482)  
Loans to affiliates 0 0
Repayments of loans from affiliates 0 0
Proceeds from sale of businesses 0 0
Other - net 0 0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities (1,482) 0
Proceeds from borrowings 0  
Payments on borrowings 0 0
Proceeds from borrowings from affiliates 2,242  
Payments on borrowings from affiliates (39) (15)
Proceeds from borrowings from affiliates 0 327
Other intercompany financing activities 0 219
Cash dividends paid (514) (467)
Exercise of employee stock options 46 44
Repurchase of shares (170) (99)
Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation   0
Other - net 0  
Net cash used in financing activities 1,565 9
Effect of currency on cash 0 0
Total decrease in cash (1) 17
Cash at the beginning of the period 1 3
Cash at the end of the period 0 20
Eaton Corporation [Member]    
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows, Captions [Line Items]    
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities (272) (229)
Cash paid for acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired 0  
Capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment (47) (51)
Sales of short-term investments - net 0 0
Payments to Acquire Investments 0  
Loans to affiliates (307) (151)
Repayments of loans from affiliates 306 176
Proceeds from sale of businesses 0 93
Other - net (31) (26)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities (79) 41
Proceeds from borrowings 125  
Payments on borrowings (101) (551)
Proceeds from borrowings from affiliates 3,775  
Payments on borrowings from affiliates (3,824) (2,125)
Proceeds from borrowings from affiliates 1,176 2,754
Other intercompany financing activities (959) 84
Cash dividends paid 0 0
Exercise of employee stock options 0 0
Repurchase of shares 0 0
Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation   20
Other - net 0  
Net cash used in financing activities 192 182
Effect of currency on cash 0 0
Total decrease in cash (159) (6)
Cash at the beginning of the period 173 51
Cash at the end of the period 14 45
Guarantors [Member]    
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows, Captions [Line Items]    
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities 95 7
Cash paid for acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired 0  
Capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment (63) (61)
Sales of short-term investments - net 0 (155)
Payments to Acquire Investments (1,176)  
Loans to affiliates (39) 0
Repayments of loans from affiliates 11 187
Proceeds from sale of businesses 0 175
Other - net 28 5
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities (1,239) 151
Proceeds from borrowings 0  
Payments on borrowings (301) (1)
Proceeds from borrowings from affiliates 314  
Payments on borrowings from affiliates (1,160) (320)
Proceeds from borrowings from affiliates 1,482 254
Other intercompany financing activities 804 (81)
Cash dividends paid 0 0
Exercise of employee stock options 0 0
Repurchase of shares 0 0
Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation   0
Other - net 0  
Net cash used in financing activities 1,139 (148)
Effect of currency on cash 0 0
Total decrease in cash (5) 10
Cash at the beginning of the period 13 10
Cash at the end of the period 8 20
Other subsidiaries [Member]    
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows, Captions [Line Items]    
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities 917 859
Cash paid for acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired (38)  
Capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment (136) (124)
Sales of short-term investments - net 109 317
Payments to Acquire Investments (1,482)  
Loans to affiliates (6,027) (3,191)
Repayments of loans from affiliates 4,720 2,454
Proceeds from sale of businesses 1 5
Other - net (30) (30)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities (2,883) (569)
Proceeds from borrowings 12  
Payments on borrowings (2) (24)
Proceeds from borrowings from affiliates 42  
Payments on borrowings from affiliates (14) (357)
Proceeds from borrowings from affiliates 1,482 7
Other intercompany financing activities 155 (222)
Cash dividends paid 0 0
Exercise of employee stock options 0 0
Repurchase of shares 0 0
Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation   0
Other - net (7)  
Net cash used in financing activities 1,668 (596)
Effect of currency on cash (15) 1
Total decrease in cash (313) (305)
Cash at the beginning of the period 594 851
Cash at the end of the period 281 546
Consolidating adjustments [Member]    
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows, Captions [Line Items]    
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities 0 0
Cash paid for acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired 0  
Capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment 0 0
Sales of short-term investments - net 0 0
Payments to Acquire Investments 4,140  
Loans to affiliates 6,373 3,342
Repayments of loans from affiliates (5,037) (2,817)
Proceeds from sale of businesses 0 0
Other - net 0 0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities 5,476 525
Proceeds from borrowings 0  
Payments on borrowings 0 0
Proceeds from borrowings from affiliates (6,373)  
Payments on borrowings from affiliates 5,037 2,817
Proceeds from borrowings from affiliates (4,140) (3,342)
Other intercompany financing activities 0 0
Cash dividends paid 0 0
Exercise of employee stock options 0 0
Repurchase of shares 0 0
Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation   0
Other - net 0  
Net cash used in financing activities (5,476) (525)
Effect of currency on cash 0 0
Total decrease in cash 0 0
Cash at the beginning of the period 0 0
Cash at the end of the period $ 0 $ 0