INCOME TAXES (Summary of operating loss carryforwards) (Details) $ in Millions	Jan. 02, 2016 USD ($)
Operating Loss Carryforwards
Deferred tax assets, operating loss carryforwards, foreign	$ 5.2
Deferred tax assets, operating loss carryforwards, state and local	5.1
Deferred tax assets, operating loss carryforwards, subject to expiration, years 2016-2019	0.9
Deferred tax assets, operating loss carryforwards, subject to expiration, years 2020-2024	2.2
Deferred tax assets, operating loss carryforwards, subject to expiration, years 2025-2029	0.2
Deferred tax assets, operating loss carryforwards, subject to expiration, years 2030-2034	2.0
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforward, Subject to Expiration, Years 2035-2039	0.5
Deferred tax assets, operating loss carryforwards, subject to expiration, unlimited	4.5
Deferred tax assets, operating loss carryforwards, subject to expiration, total	$ 10.3

Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforward, Subject to Expiration, Years 2035-2039

No definition available.

Name:	fele_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardSubjecttoExpirationYears20352039
Namespace Prefix:	fele_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, Subject to Expiration, Years 2016-2019

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	fele_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsSubjecttoExpirationYears20162019
Namespace Prefix:	fele_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, Subject to Expiration, Years 2020-2024

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	fele_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsSubjecttoExpirationYears20202024
Namespace Prefix:	fele_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, Subject to Expiration, Years 2025-2029

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	fele_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsSubjecttoExpirationYears20252029
Namespace Prefix:	fele_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, Subject to Expiration, Years 2030-2034

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	fele_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsSubjecttoExpirationYears20302034
Namespace Prefix:	fele_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible foreign operating loss carryforwards.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32621-109319

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32632-109319

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 20
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51675352&loc=d3e28680-109314

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsForeign
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible operating loss carryforwards that are not subject to expiration dates.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsNotSubjectToExpiration
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible state and local operating loss carryforwards.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32632-109319

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32621-109319

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 20
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51675352&loc=d3e28680-109314

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsStateAndLocal
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible operating loss carryforwards that are subject to expiration dates.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsSubjectToExpiration
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- 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_OperatingLossCarryforwardsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration