XML 55 R43.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.8.0.1

INCOME TAXES (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2017 | Sep. 30, 2016 | Sep. 30, 2017 | Sep. 30, 2016
Income Tax Rate [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Effective tax rate | 17.30% | 8.80% | 13.90% | 9.60%
2011 Notice [Member] |  |  |  |
Income Tax Rate [Line Items] |  |  |  |
IRS Statutory Notice of Deficiency proposed assessment of additional federal taxes | $ 75 |  | $ 75 |
Penalties associated with IRS Statutory Notice of Deficiency proposed assessment | 52 |  | 52 |
Sale of a Business 7.31.2017 [Member] |  |  |  |
Income Tax Rate [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Income Tax Expense (Benefit) | $ 234 |  | $ 234 |
Effective Tax Rate, Excluding Gain on Sale | 9.50% |  | 8.80% |

X
- Definition Effective Tax Rate, Excluding Gain on Sale + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | etn_EffectiveTaxRateExcludingGainonSale
Namespace Prefix: | etn_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition IRS Statutory Notice of Deficiency proposed assessment of additional federal taxes + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | etn_IRSStatutoryNoticeofDeficiencyproposedassessmentofadditionalfederaltaxes
Namespace Prefix: | etn_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Income Tax Expense related to the Gain on Sale of a Business + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | etn_IncomeTaxExpenserelatedtotheGainonSaleofaBusiness
Namespace Prefix: | etn_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Penalties associated with IRS Statutory Notice of Deficiency proposed assessment + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | etn_PenaltiesAssociatedWithIrsStatutoryNoticeOfDeficiencyProposedAssessment
Namespace Prefix: | etn_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Percentage of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32698-109319 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(2)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32687-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeTaxContingencyLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | etn_YearofIRSNoticeAxis=etn_A2011NoticeMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | etn_ExcludingIncomeTaxRelatedtoSaleofaBusinessAxis=etn_SaleofaBusiness7.31.2017Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |