Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity - Entity [Domain] - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	Total	Ordinary shares	Treasury shares	Additional paid-in capital	Retained earnings	Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	Total Pentair plc	Noncontrolling interest
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 6,217.7	$ 113.5	$ (875.1)	$ 5,071.4	$ 1,829.1	$ (43.6)	$ 6,095.3	$ 122.4
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013		(213.0)	(15.6)
Net income	280.1				280.1		280.1	0.0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	(11.1)					(11.1)	(11.1)	0.0
par value conversion		$ (111.4)		111.4
Dividends declared	(230.5)			(230.5)	0.0		(230.5)
Noncontrolling Interest, Decrease from Redemptions or Purchase of Interests	134.7			12.3			12.3	122.4
Share repurchase	(450.7)		$ (450.7)				(450.7)
Share repurchase (in shares)			(5.8)
Exercise of options, net of shares tendered for payment	34.9	$ 0.0	$ 44.9	(10.0)			34.9
Exercise of options, net of shares tendered for payment (in shares)		0.0	0.9
Issuance of restricted shares, net of cancellations	0.0	$ 0.0	$ 7.8	(7.8)			0.0
Issuance of restricted shares, net of cancellations (in shares)		0.0	0.2
Shares surrendered by employees to pay taxes	(3.4)	$ 0.0	$ (2.1)	(1.3)			(3.4)
Shares surrendered by employees to pay taxes (in shares)		0.0	(0.1)
Share-based compensation	16.5			16.5			16.5
Ending Balance (in shares) at Jun. 28, 2014		(213.0)	(20.4)
Ending Balance at Jun. 28, 2014	5,718.8	$ 2.1	$ (1,275.2)	4,937.4	2,109.2	(54.7)	5,718.8	0.0
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	4,663.8	$ 2.0	$ (1,251.9)	4,250.0	2,044.0	(380.3)	4,663.8	0.0
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014		(202.4)	19.9
Net income	261.7				261.7		261.7	0.0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	(153.5)					(153.5)	(153.5)
Dividends declared	(56.6)			1.5	(58.1)		(56.6)
Share repurchase	$ (200.0)		$ 0.0	(200.0)			(200.0)
Share repurchase (in shares)	(3.1)	(3.1)	0.0
Exercise of options, net of shares tendered for payment	$ 20.9		$ 27.7	(6.8)			20.9
Exercise of options, net of shares tendered for payment (in shares)			0.5
Issuance of restricted shares, net of cancellations			$ 8.5	(8.5)
Issuance of restricted shares, net of cancellations (in shares)			0.2
Shares surrendered by employees to pay taxes	(3.6)		$ (2.7)	(0.9)			(3.6)
Shares surrendered by employees to pay taxes (in shares)			(0.1)
Share-based compensation	19.4			19.4			19.4
Ending Balance (in shares) at Jun. 27, 2015		(199.3)	19.3
Ending Balance at Jun. 27, 2015	$ 4,552.1	$ 2.0	$ (1,218.4)	$ 4,054.7	$ 2,247.6	$ (533.8)	$ 4,552.1	$ 0.0