EARNINGS PER SHARE (Details) Share data in Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended						0 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 03, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 27, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 28, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 29, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 28, 2013 USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2013 USD ($)	Jun. 29, 2013 USD ($)	Mar. 30, 2013 USD ($)	Jan. 03, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 28, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 29, 2012 USD ($)	Jan. 03, 2015 Stock Options	Dec. 28, 2013 Stock Options	Dec. 29, 2012 Stock Options	Apr. 28, 2014 Impo Motor Pompa Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. USD ($)	Apr. 28, 2014 Impo Motor Pompa Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. TRY	Jan. 03, 2015 Impo Motor Pompa Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. USD ($)	Dec. 28, 2013 Impo Motor Pompa Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. USD ($)	Dec. 29, 2012 Impo Motor Pompa Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. USD ($)
Numerator:
Net income attributable to Franklin Electric Co., Inc. (in dollars)	$ 3,000,000	$ 22,700,000	$ 27,100,000	$ 17,000,000	$ 13,300,000	$ 25,100,000	$ 28,100,000	$ 15,500,000	$ 69,806,000	$ 81,958,000	$ 82,864,000
Less: Undistributed earnings allocated to participaing securities									700,000	1,000,000	600,000
Less: Undistributed earnings allocated to redeemable noncontrolling interest															100,000	200,000	910,000	198,000	0
Net income attributable to Franklin Electric Co., Inc. excluding undistributed earnings (in dollars)									$ 68,200,000	$ 80,800,000	$ 82,300,000
Basic
Weighted average common shares (in shares)									47.7	47.5	46.9
Effect of dilutive securities:
Non-participating employee and director incentive stock options and performance awards (in shares)									0.5	0.6	0.8
Adjusted weighted average common shares (in shares)									48.2	48.1	47.7
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.06	$ 0.46	$ 0.56	$ 0.35	$ 0.27	$ 0.52	$ 0.59	$ 0.32	$ 1.43	$ 1.70	$ 1.76
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.06	$ 0.46	$ 0.55	$ 0.35	$ 0.27	$ 0.51	$ 0.58	$ 0.32	$ 1.41	$ 1.68	$ 1.73
Anti-dilutive stock options (in shares)												0.1	0.1	0.1