I roto i te ara iahiko AC, e rua ngā momo hiko e tukuna ana ki te kawenga mai i te pūtake hiko: ko tētahi he mana hohe, ko tētahi he mana tauhohe. Mēnā he kawenga ātete te kawenga, ko te mana e pau ana ko te mana hohe, mēnā he kawenga ā-pūmanawa, ā-whakapūmanawa rānei te kawenga, ko te mana tauhohe te mea e pau ana. Ko te ngaohiko me te iahiko o te mana hohe kei te wāhanga kotahi (ko te mana AC te rerekētanga i waenga i te mana hohe me te mana tauhohe), ina nui ake te ngaohiko i te iahiko, ka kiia he mana tauhohe ā-whakapūmanawa; ina nui ake te iahiko i te ngaohiko, ka kiia he mana tauhohe ā-pūmanawa.

Ko te mana hohe ko te mana hiko e hiahiatia ana hei pupuri i te mahi noa o ngā taputapu hiko, arā, ko te hurihanga o te pūngao hiko ki ētahi atu momo pūngao (pūngao miihini, pūngao mārama, wera) o te mana hiko. Hei tauira: 5.5 kirowati o te motuka hiko he 5.5 kirowati o te pūngao hiko ka hurihia hei pūngao miihini, ka peia te papu ki te papu wai, ki te mīhini wīti rānei; ka hurihia ngā taputapu rama maha hei pūngao mārama, kia taea ai e te tangata te noho me te mahi rama.

He āhua whānui ake te mana tauhohe; ko te mana hiko e whakamahia ana mō te whakawhiti i ngā papa hiko me ngā papa aukume i roto i tētahi ara iahiko, me te whakatū me te pupuri i te papa aukume i roto i ngā taputapu hiko. Kāore e mahi i waho, engari ka hurihia hei momo pūngao kē atu. Ka pau te mana tauhohe i tētahi taputapu hiko he koiri hikohiko hei whakatū i tētahi papa aukume. Hei tauira, me nui ake i te 40 watts o te mana hohe e hiahiatia ana e tētahi rama hihi 40-wati (me pau hoki i te pauna tetahi wāhanga o te mana hohe) hei tuku i te mārama, engari me tata ki te 80 mana tauhohe kia whakatū ai te koiri pauna i tētahi papa aukume tauutuutu. Nā te mea kāore e mahi i ngā mahi o waho, ka kiia noa he "tauhohe".