Debt Instrument Market Rate

No definition available.

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line Of Credit Facility, Covenant Compliance, Minimum Default Trigger.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	fele_LineOfCreditFacilityCovenantComplianceMinimumDefaultTrigger.
Namespace Prefix:	fele_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line Of Credit Facility Maximum Borrowing Capacity Accordion Feature

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	fele_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacityAccordionFeature
Namespace Prefix:	fele_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line of Credit Facility Covenant Total Interest Ratio

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	fele_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930739&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
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_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of the required periodic payments applied to principal.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentPeriodicPaymentPrincipal
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period of time between issuance and maturity of debt instrument, in PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentTerm
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

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(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCredit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for the line of credit facility regardless of whether the facility has been used.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCommitmentFeePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of current borrowing capacity under the credit facility considering any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed (for example, borrowings may be limited by the amount of current assets), but without considering any amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCurrentBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) of the credit facility.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(f))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of borrowing capacity currently available under the credit facility (current borrowing capacity less the amount of borrowings outstanding).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityRemainingBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The interest rate applicable to the portion of the carrying amount of long-term borrowings outstanding as of the balance sheet date, including current maturities, which accrues interest at a set, unchanging rate.

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Indebtedness divided by net capital.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RatioOfIndebtednessToNetCapital1
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Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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Balance Type:
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- Details

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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAxis=fele_NewYorkLifeInvestorsLLCMember
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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DEBT (Details) - USD ($)			12 Months Ended
DEBT (Details) - USD ($)	Oct. 28, 2016	Jul. 22, 2010	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Oct. 27, 2016	May 28, 2015	May 27, 2015	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 07, 2007	Apr. 30, 2007	Apr. 09, 2007
Line of Credit Facility
Debt instrument covenant total leverage ratio			3.5
Debt instrument covenant total interest ratio			3.0
Cross default trigger, minimum			$ 10,000,000
Tax increment financing debt
Debt Instrument
Aggregate principal amount of debt								$ 25,000,000.0
Debt instrument, interest rate			3.60%
Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument
Total borrowing capacity of facility	$ 450,000,000.0
Remaining borrowing capacity			$ 227,500,000	$ 294,100,000
Line of Credit Facility
Current borrowing capacity	300,000,000				$ 150,000,000
Increase request amount available	$ 150,000,000.0
Outstanding borrowings			67,000,000.0	0
Letters of credit outstanding			$ 5,500,000	$ 5,900,000
Credit Agreement \| Minimum
Line of Credit Facility
Facility fee (as a percentage)	0.10%
Credit Agreement \| Maximum
Line of Credit Facility
Facility fee (as a percentage)	0.275%
Credit Agreement \| LIBOR \| Minimum
Debt Instrument
Debt instrument basis spread on variable rate	0.75%
Credit Agreement \| LIBOR \| Maximum
Debt Instrument
Debt instrument basis spread on variable rate	1.60%
New York Life Investors LLC
Debt Instrument
Total borrowing capacity of facility							$ 150,000,000
Remaining borrowing capacity							75,000,000
New York Life Investors LLC \| Senior Notes
Debt Instrument
Aggregate principal amount of debt							75,000,000
New York Life Investors LLC \| LIBOR \| Senior Notes
Debt Instrument
One-month LIBOR rate			1.55%
Debt instrument basis spread on variable rate			1.35%
Prudential
Debt Instrument
Total borrowing capacity of facility						$ 250,000,000	$ 200,000,000				$ 175,000,000.0
Remaining borrowing capacity			$ 100,000,000
Debt instrument, increase, additional borrowings		$ 25,000,000
Debt instrument, periodic payment, principal			$ 30,000,000.0
Prudential \| B-1 Notes \| Notes Payable to Bank
Debt Instrument
Aggregate principal amount of debt										$ 110,000,000
Prudential Agreement, fixed interest rate			5.79%
Debt instrument, term			10 years
Prudential \| B-2 Notes \| Notes Payable to Bank
Debt Instrument
Aggregate principal amount of debt									$ 40,000,000