CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 5,211	$ 4,987	$ 15,191	$ 14,880
Cost of products sold	3,469	3,371	10,229	10,081
Selling and administrative expense	916	853	2,703	2,642
Research and development expense	147	146	440	444
Interest expense (income) - net	60	59	181	173
Pre-tax gain on sale of consolidated subsidiary and remaining investment in joint venture	1,077	0	1,077	0
Other expense (income) - net	5	(15)	(10)	(28)
Equity in loss (earnings) of subsidiaries, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Intercompany expense (income) - net	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	1,691	573	2,725	1,568
Income tax expense (benefit)	292	51	378	151
Net income	1,399	522	2,347	1,417
Less net loss (income) for noncontrolling interests	0	1	(1)	1
Net income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	1,399	523	2,346	1,418
Other comprehensive income	199	24	785	42
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	1,598	547	3,131	1,460
Guarantors
Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	1,669	1,592	4,936	4,815
Cost of products sold	1,225	1,168	3,638	3,571
Selling and administrative expense	200	195	591	589
Research and development expense	54	44	154	140
Interest expense (income) - net	5	4	16	13
Pre-tax gain on sale of consolidated subsidiary and remaining investment in joint venture	0		0
Other expense (income) - net	(31)	6	(69)	10
Equity in loss (earnings) of subsidiaries, net of tax	(1,900)	(914)	(3,625)	(2,398)
Intercompany expense (income) - net	335	333	1,007	901
Income before income taxes	1,781	756	3,224	1,989
Income tax expense (benefit)	18	11	37	24
Net income	1,763	745	3,187	1,965
Less net loss (income) for noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	1,763	745	3,187	1,965
Other comprehensive income	200	29	792	59
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	1,963	774	3,979	2,024
Other subsidiaries [Member]
Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	3,223	3,032	9,378	8,962
Cost of products sold	2,294	2,168	6,723	6,462
Selling and administrative expense	354	324	1,016	999
Research and development expense	40	43	122	128
Interest expense (income) - net	(7)	(3)	(15)	(13)
Pre-tax gain on sale of consolidated subsidiary and remaining investment in joint venture	517		517
Other expense (income) - net	12	(22)	(20)	(40)
Equity in loss (earnings) of subsidiaries, net of tax	(706)	(228)	(931)	(457)
Intercompany expense (income) - net	(421)	(403)	(1,244)	(1,100)
Income before income taxes	2,174	1,153	4,244	2,983
Income tax expense (benefit)	154	52	222	119
Net income	2,020	1,101	4,022	2,864
Less net loss (income) for noncontrolling interests	(1)	0	(3)	(2)
Net income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	2,019	1,101	4,019	2,862
Other comprehensive income	267	3	998	(7)
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	2,286	1,104	5,017	2,855
Eaton Corporation plc [Member]
Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Cost of products sold	0	0	0	0
Selling and administrative expense	32	2	98	6
Research and development expense	0	0	0	0
Interest expense (income) - net	0	0	0	0
Pre-tax gain on sale of consolidated subsidiary and remaining investment in joint venture	0		0
Other expense (income) - net	23	(1)	71	(1)
Equity in loss (earnings) of subsidiaries, net of tax	(1,573)	(628)	(2,858)	(1,726)
Intercompany expense (income) - net	119	104	343	303
Income before income taxes	1,399	523	2,346	1,418
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Net income	1,399	523	2,346	1,418
Less net loss (income) for noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	1,399	523	2,346	1,418
Other comprehensive income	199	24	785	42
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	1,598	547	3,131	1,460
Eaton Corporation [Member]
Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	1,695	1,660	4,963	4,842
Cost of products sold	1,322	1,329	3,948	3,788
Selling and administrative expense	330	332	998	1,048
Research and development expense	53	59	164	176
Interest expense (income) - net	62	59	180	169
Pre-tax gain on sale of consolidated subsidiary and remaining investment in joint venture	560		560
Other expense (income) - net	1	2	8	3
Equity in loss (earnings) of subsidiaries, net of tax	(237)	(173)	(612)	(495)
Intercompany expense (income) - net	(33)	(34)	(106)	(104)
Income before income taxes	757	86	943	257
Income tax expense (benefit)	120	(11)	120	9
Net income	637	97	823	248
Less net loss (income) for noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	637	97	823	248
Other comprehensive income	(15)	24	35	68
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	622	121	858	316
Consolidating adjustments [Member]
Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	(1,376)	(1,297)	(4,086)	(3,739)
Cost of products sold	(1,372)	(1,294)	(4,080)	(3,740)
Selling and administrative expense	0	0	0	0
Research and development expense	0	0	0	0
Interest expense (income) - net	0	(1)	0	4
Pre-tax gain on sale of consolidated subsidiary and remaining investment in joint venture	0		0
Other expense (income) - net	0	0	0	0
Equity in loss (earnings) of subsidiaries, net of tax	4,416	1,943	8,026	5,076
Intercompany expense (income) - net	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	(4,420)	(1,945)	(8,032)	(5,079)
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	(1)	(1)	(1)
Net income	(4,420)	(1,944)	(8,031)	(5,078)
Less net loss (income) for noncontrolling interests	1	1	2	3
Net income attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	(4,419)	(1,943)	(8,029)	(5,075)
Other comprehensive income	(452)	(56)	(1,825)	(120)
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Eaton ordinary shareholders	$ (4,871)	$ (1,999)	$ (9,854)	$ (5,195)