Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Millions |
12 Months Ended |
Dec. 31, 2015 |
Dec. 31, 2014 |
Dec. 31, 2013 |
| Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows [Line Items] |
|
|
|
| Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities |
$ 2,371
|
$ 1,878
|
$ 2,285
|
| Capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment |
(506)
|
(632)
|
(614)
|
| Cash received from (paid for) acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired |
(72)
|
2
|
(9)
|
| Sales (purchases) of short-term investments - net |
37
|
522
|
(288)
|
| Investment in affiliates |
0
|
0
|
|
| Loans to affiliates |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Repayments of loans from affiliates |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Proceeds from sale of businesses |
1
|
282
|
777
|
| Other - net |
(35)
|
(31)
|
(68)
|
| Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities |
(575)
|
143
|
(202)
|
| Proceeds from borrowings |
425
|
0
|
9
|
| Payments on borrowings |
(1,027)
|
(582)
|
(1,096)
|
| Proceeds from borrowings from affiliates |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Payments on borrowings from affiliates |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Capital contribution from affiliates |
0
|
0
|
|
| Other intercompany financing activities |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Cash dividends paid |
(1,026)
|
(929)
|
(796)
|
| Cash dividends paid to affiliates |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Exercise of employee stock options |
52
|
54
|
121
|
| (Repurchase) issuance of shares |
(682)
|
(650)
|
0
|
| Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation |
1
|
20
|
32
|
| Other - net |
(10)
|
(43)
|
(6)
|
| Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities |
(2,267)
|
(2,130)
|
(1,736)
|
| Effect of currency on cash |
(42)
|
(25)
|
(9)
|
| Total (decrease) increase in cash |
(513)
|
(134)
|
338
|
| Cash at the beginning of the period |
781
|
915
|
577
|
| Cash at the end of the period |
268
|
781
|
915
|
| Eaton Corporation plc [Member] |
|
|
|
| Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows [Line Items] |
|
|
|
| Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities |
(137)
|
(93)
|
(17)
|
| Capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Cash received from (paid for) acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Sales (purchases) of short-term investments - net |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Investment in affiliates |
(1,482)
|
(753)
|
|
| Loans to affiliates |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Repayments of loans from affiliates |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Proceeds from sale of businesses |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Other - net |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities |
(1,482)
|
(753)
|
0
|
| Proceeds from borrowings |
0
|
|
0
|
| Payments on borrowings |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Proceeds from borrowings from affiliates |
3,322
|
2,628
|
0
|
| Payments on borrowings from affiliates |
(48)
|
(476)
|
0
|
| Capital contribution from affiliates |
0
|
0
|
|
| Other intercompany financing activities |
0
|
217
|
688
|
| Cash dividends paid |
(1,026)
|
(929)
|
(796)
|
| Cash dividends paid to affiliates |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Exercise of employee stock options |
52
|
54
|
121
|
| (Repurchase) issuance of shares |
(682)
|
(650)
|
|
| Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Other - net |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities |
1,618
|
844
|
13
|
| Effect of currency on cash |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Total (decrease) increase in cash |
(1)
|
(2)
|
(4)
|
| Cash at the beginning of the period |
1
|
3
|
7
|
| Cash at the end of the period |
0
|
1
|
3
|
| Eaton Corporation [Member] |
|
|
|
| Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows [Line Items] |
|
|
|
| Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities |
(46)
|
(411)
|
860
|
| Capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment |
(94)
|
(127)
|
(171)
|
| Cash received from (paid for) acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Sales (purchases) of short-term investments - net |
0
|
0
|
25
|
| Investment in affiliates |
0
|
0
|
|
| Loans to affiliates |
(1,235)
|
(354)
|
(535)
|
| Repayments of loans from affiliates |
342
|
978
|
36
|
| Proceeds from sale of businesses |
0
|
93
|
0
|
| Other - net |
(50)
|
(47)
|
(41)
|
| Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities |
(1,037)
|
543
|
(686)
|
| Proceeds from borrowings |
408
|
|
0
|
| Payments on borrowings |
(724)
|
(553)
|
(1,048)
|
| Proceeds from borrowings from affiliates |
6,885
|
7,599
|
2,395
|
| Payments on borrowings from affiliates |
(6,122)
|
(6,907)
|
(2,921)
|
| Capital contribution from affiliates |
1,176
|
0
|
|
| Other intercompany financing activities |
(688)
|
(169)
|
1,365
|
| Cash dividends paid |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Cash dividends paid to affiliates |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Exercise of employee stock options |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| (Repurchase) issuance of shares |
0
|
0
|
|
| Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation |
1
|
20
|
32
|
| Other - net |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities |
936
|
(10)
|
(177)
|
| Effect of currency on cash |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Total (decrease) increase in cash |
(147)
|
122
|
(3)
|
| Cash at the beginning of the period |
173
|
51
|
54
|
| Cash at the end of the period |
26
|
173
|
51
|
| Guarantors [Member] |
|
|
|
| Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows [Line Items] |
|
|
|
| Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities |
(283)
|
(218)
|
428
|
| Capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment |
(146)
|
(168)
|
(119)
|
| Cash received from (paid for) acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired |
(36)
|
0
|
0
|
| Sales (purchases) of short-term investments - net |
(2)
|
133
|
(95)
|
| Investment in affiliates |
(1,176)
|
0
|
|
| Loans to affiliates |
(39)
|
(162)
|
(545)
|
| Repayments of loans from affiliates |
359
|
212
|
626
|
| Proceeds from sale of businesses |
0
|
175
|
0
|
| Other - net |
47
|
44
|
(12)
|
| Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities |
(993)
|
234
|
(145)
|
| Proceeds from borrowings |
0
|
|
0
|
| Payments on borrowings |
(301)
|
(1)
|
(43)
|
| Proceeds from borrowings from affiliates |
997
|
808
|
4,260
|
| Payments on borrowings from affiliates |
(1,282)
|
(1,875)
|
(2,874)
|
| Capital contribution from affiliates |
1,482
|
753
|
|
| Other intercompany financing activities |
374
|
302
|
(1,630)
|
| Cash dividends paid |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Cash dividends paid to affiliates |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Exercise of employee stock options |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| (Repurchase) issuance of shares |
0
|
0
|
|
| Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Other - net |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities |
1,270
|
(13)
|
(287)
|
| Effect of currency on cash |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Total (decrease) increase in cash |
(6)
|
3
|
(4)
|
| Cash at the beginning of the period |
13
|
10
|
14
|
| Cash at the end of the period |
7
|
13
|
10
|
| Other Subsidiaries [Member] |
|
|
|
| Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows [Line Items] |
|
|
|
| Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities |
2,841
|
2,568
|
1,067
|
| Capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment |
(266)
|
(337)
|
(324)
|
| Cash received from (paid for) acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired |
(36)
|
2
|
(9)
|
| Sales (purchases) of short-term investments - net |
39
|
389
|
(218)
|
| Investment in affiliates |
(1,482)
|
(753)
|
|
| Loans to affiliates |
(10,608)
|
(10,546)
|
(6,215)
|
| Repayments of loans from affiliates |
7,148
|
8,451
|
5,795
|
| Proceeds from sale of businesses |
1
|
14
|
777
|
| Other - net |
(32)
|
(28)
|
(15)
|
| Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities |
(5,236)
|
(2,808)
|
(209)
|
| Proceeds from borrowings |
17
|
|
9
|
| Payments on borrowings |
(2)
|
(28)
|
(5)
|
| Proceeds from borrowings from affiliates |
678
|
27
|
640
|
| Payments on borrowings from affiliates |
(397)
|
(383)
|
(662)
|
| Capital contribution from affiliates |
1,482
|
753
|
|
| Other intercompany financing activities |
314
|
(350)
|
(423)
|
| Cash dividends paid |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Cash dividends paid to affiliates |
(4)
|
32
|
(53)
|
| Exercise of employee stock options |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| (Repurchase) issuance of shares |
0
|
0
|
|
| Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Other - net |
(10)
|
(43)
|
(6)
|
| Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities |
2,078
|
8
|
(500)
|
| Effect of currency on cash |
(42)
|
(25)
|
(9)
|
| Total (decrease) increase in cash |
(359)
|
(257)
|
349
|
| Cash at the beginning of the period |
594
|
851
|
502
|
| Cash at the end of the period |
235
|
594
|
851
|
| Consolidating Adjustments [Member] |
|
|
|
| Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows [Line Items] |
|
|
|
| Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities |
(4)
|
32
|
(53)
|
| Capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Cash received from (paid for) acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Sales (purchases) of short-term investments - net |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Investment in affiliates |
4,140
|
1,506
|
|
| Loans to affiliates |
11,882
|
11,062
|
7,295
|
| Repayments of loans from affiliates |
(7,849)
|
(9,641)
|
(6,457)
|
| Proceeds from sale of businesses |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Other - net |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities |
8,173
|
2,927
|
838
|
| Proceeds from borrowings |
0
|
|
0
|
| Payments on borrowings |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Proceeds from borrowings from affiliates |
(11,882)
|
(11,062)
|
(7,295)
|
| Payments on borrowings from affiliates |
7,849
|
9,641
|
6,457
|
| Capital contribution from affiliates |
(4,140)
|
(1,506)
|
|
| Other intercompany financing activities |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Cash dividends paid |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Cash dividends paid to affiliates |
4
|
(32)
|
53
|
| Exercise of employee stock options |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| (Repurchase) issuance of shares |
0
|
0
|
|
| Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Other - net |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities |
(8,169)
|
(2,959)
|
(785)
|
| Effect of currency on cash |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Total (decrease) increase in cash |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Cash at the beginning of the period |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Cash at the end of the period |
$ 0
|
$ 0
|
$ 0
|