BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Policies)	9 Months Ended
BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Policies)	Oct. 01, 2016
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	We prepared the condensed consolidated financial statements pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for interim reporting. As permitted under those rules and regulations, certain footnotes or other financial information normally required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) can be condensed or omitted. The financial statements represent our accounts after the elimination of intercompany transactions and, in our opinion, include the adjustments (consisting only of normal and recurring items) necessary for their fair presentation.
Spin-Off of FLOW Business and Sale of Dry Cooling Business	Spin-Off of FLOW Business On September 26, 2015 (the “Distribution Date”), we completed the spin-off to our stockholders (the “Spin-Off”) of all the outstanding shares of SPX FLOW, Inc. (“SPX FLOW”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of SPX prior to the Spin-Off, which at the time of the Spin-Off held the businesses comprising our Flow Technology reportable segment, our Hydraulic Technologies business, and certain of our corporate subsidiaries (collectively, the “FLOW Business”). On the Distribution Date, each of our stockholders of record as of the close of business on September 16, 2015 (the “Record Date”) received one share of common stock of SPX FLOW for every share of SPX common stock held as of the Record Date. SPX FLOW is now an independent public company trading under the symbol “FLOW” on the New York Stock Exchange. Following the Spin-Off, SPX’s common stock continues to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange, but trades under the new ticker symbol “SPXC”. The financial results of SPX FLOW for the three and nine months ended September 26, 2015 have been classified as discontinued operations within the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements. See Note 3 for additional information regarding discontinued operations. In connection with the Spin-Off, SPX and SPX FLOW entered into several administrative agreements covering various services, such as information technology, human resources and finance, to be provided by each party for a period of up to 12 months following the Distribution Date. These services ceased during the third quarter of 2016. The financial activity associated with these agreements was not material to our condensed consolidated financial results for the three and nine months ended October 1, 2016. Sale of Dry Cooling Business On March 30, 2016, we completed the sale of our dry cooling business, a business within our Power reportable segment, to Paharpur Cooling Towers Limited (“Paharpur”) for cash proceeds of $45.9 (net of cash transferred with the business of $3.0). During the third quarter of 2016, we reached an agreement with Paharpur regarding the final working capital of the dry cooling business, resulting in additional cash proceeds during the quarter of $1.7. In connection with the sale, we recorded a gain of $18.4, including $1.7 recorded during the third quarter of 2016 associated with the aforementioned working capital settlement. The gain includes a reclassification from “Equity” of other comprehensive income totaling $40.4 related to foreign currency translation. We provided customary indemnifications to Paharpur in connection with the sale. Accordingly, it is possible that the sales price and resulting gain for this divestiture may be materially adjusted in subsequent periods. The assets and liabilities of the dry cooling business, as of December 31, 2015, have been classified as “held for sale” within the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet.
Use of Estimates	Preparing financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses. Actual results could differ from these estimates. The unaudited information included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements contained in our 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of full year results. Unless otherwise indicated, amounts provided in these Notes pertain to continuing operations only. See Note 3 for information on discontinued operations.
Fiscal Period	We establish actual interim closing dates using a fiscal calendar, which requires our businesses to close their books on the Saturday closest to the end of the first calendar quarter, with the second and third quarters being 91 days in length. Our fourth quarter ends on December 31. The interim closing dates for the first, second and third quarters of 2016 are April 2, July 2 and October 1, compared to the respective March 28, June 27 and September 26, 2015 dates. We had six more days in the first quarter of 2016 and will have five fewer days in the fourth quarter of 2016 than in the respective 2015 periods. We do not believe the six additional days during the first quarter of 2016 had a material impact on our consolidated operating results for the first nine months of 2016, when compared to the consolidated operating results for the respective 2015 period.
New Accounting Pronouncements	NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS The following is a summary of new accounting pronouncements that apply or may apply to our business. In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued a new standard on revenue recognition that outlines a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The new standard contains a five-step approach that entities will apply to determine the measurement of revenue and timing of when it is recognized, including (i) identifying the contract(s) with a customer, (ii) identifying the separate performance obligations in the contract, (iii) determining the transaction price, (iv) allocating the transaction price to separate performance obligations, and (v) recognizing revenue when (or as) each performance obligation is satisfied. The new standard requires a number of disclosures intended to enable users of financial statements to understand the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue, and the related cash flows. The disclosures include qualitative and quantitative information about contracts with customers, significant judgments made in applying the revenue guidance, and assets recognized from the costs to obtain or fulfill a contract. The standard is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. We are currently evaluating the effect this new standard will have on our condensed consolidated financial statements. In April 2015, the FASB issued a new standard that requires debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability to be reported in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. An amendment to this standard was issued in August 2015 that permits entities to present debt issuance costs related to line-of-credit arrangements as an asset and subsequently amortize such debt issuance costs ratably over the term of the line-of-credit arrangement, regardless of whether there are any outstanding borrowings on the line-of-credit arrangement. The standard was effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and shall be applied retrospectively. We adopted this guidance on January 1, 2016 and, thus, the debt issuance costs associated with the term loan under our senior credit facilities have been presented as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the term loan in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets. See Note 10 for additional details. In February 2016, the FASB issued an amendment to existing guidance that requires lessees to recognize assets and liabilities for the rights and obligations created by long-term leases. In addition, this amendment requires new qualitative and quantitative disclosures about leasing arrangements. This standard is effective for annual periods beginning on or after December 15, 2018 for public business entities, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, and adoption must be applied on a modified retrospective basis. We are currently evaluating the effect this amendment will have on our condensed consolidated financial statements. In March 2016, the FASB issued an amendment to existing guidance that simplifies several aspects of the accounting for employee share-based payment transactions, including the accounting for income taxes, forfeitures, and statutory tax withholding requirements, as well as classification in the statement of cash flows. This standard is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within those annual reporting periods. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the effect this amendment will have on our condensed consolidated financial statements. In August 2016, the FASB issued an amendment to existing guidance to reduce diversity in practice in how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. This amendment provides clarification on eight specific cash flow presentation issues. The issues include, but are not limited to, debt prepayment or extinguishment costs, settlement of zero-coupon debt, proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims, and cash receipts from payments on beneficial interests in securitization transactions. This amendment is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those annual reporting periods. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the effect this amendment will have on our condensed consolidated financial statements.