CONTINGENCIES AND COMMITMENTS Details (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jul. 02, 2011	Jul. 02, 2011
Loss Contingencies
Attorneys' fees for Mr. Healy (Healy Systems, Inc.) and prejudgment interest		$ 1.2
Commitments for the purchase of machinery and equipment and building expansions	5.3
Product Warranties Disclosures
Standard Product Warranty Description		The Company provides warranties on most of its products. The warranty terms vary but are generally two years from date of manufacture or one year from date of installation.
Extended Product Warranty Description		In 2007, the Company began offering an extended warranty program to certain Water Systems customers which will provide warranty coverage up to five years from the date of manufacture.
Changes in the Carrying Amount of the Warranty Accrual
Warranty Accrual, Beginning Balance		9.4
Accruals related to product warranties		3.4
Reductions for payments made		(3.4)
Warranty Accrual, Ending Balance	9.4	9.4
California Air Resources Board (CARB)
Loss Contingencies
Penalties sought		25.0
Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD)
Loss Contingencies
Penalties sought		5.0
South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD)
Loss Contingencies
Penalties sought		12.5
In excess of \| Sta-Rite Industries, LLC and Pentair, Inc.
Loss Contingencies
Penalties sought, per claimant		$ 10.0
Sta-Rite Industries, LLC and Pentair, Inc.
Loss Contingencies
Loss Contingencies Number of Claimants		2

Loss Contingencies Number of Claimants

Name:	fele_LossContingenciesNumberOfClaimants
Namespace Prefix:	fele
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The value (monetary amount) of the award the plaintiff seeks per claimant in the legal matter.

+ Details

Name:	fele_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtPerClaimantValue
Namespace Prefix:	fele
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Describes the nature of the extended product warranties, which generally require additional fees to be paid by the buyer, and other guarantee contracts excluded from the initial recognition and initial measurement requirements. Does not include disclosures for standard product warranties, which typically have substantially shorter periods of time or provide less coverage, or both.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name FASB Interpretation (FIN)
-Number 45
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph a
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6851643&loc=d3e12069-110248

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ExtendedProductWarrantyDescription
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of expense provided in the period for legal costs incurred on or before the balance sheet date pertaining to resolved, pending or threatened litigation, including arbitration and mediation proceedings.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 5
-Paragraph 9
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6880815&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LegalFees
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The minimum amount the entity agreed to spend under the long-term purchase commitment.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermPurchaseCommitmentAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- 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.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The value (monetary amount) of the award the plaintiff seeks in the legal matter.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6952336&loc=d3e14326-108349

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6952336&loc=d3e14435-108349

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 5
-Paragraph 9
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6952336&loc=d3e14557-108349

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 5
-Paragraph 11
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 5
-Paragraph 10
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 5
-Paragraph 12
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MovementInStandardAndExtendedProductWarrantyIncreaseDecreaseRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductWarrantiesDisclosuresAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable for estimated claims under standard and extended warranty protection rights granted to customers.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Article 9
-Section 03
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 5
-Paragraph 9, 10
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.15(5))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph ((c)(5))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6398077&loc=d3e12565-110249

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductWarrantyAccrual
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the aggregate decrease in the liability related to payments to satisfy claims for standard and extended product warranties.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph ((c)(2))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6398077&loc=d3e12565-110249

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductWarrantyAccrualPayments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the aggregate increase in the liability for accruals related to standard and extended product warranties issued during the reporting period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph ((c)(3))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6398077&loc=d3e12565-110249

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductWarrantyAccrualWarrantiesIssued
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Describes the nature of the product warranty, including the approximate term of the product warranty, how the product warranty arose, and the events or circumstances that would require the warrantor to perform under the product warranty.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StandardProductWarrantyDescription
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration