The term "fan" that electricians use when referring to an air conditioner is colloquial and not a technical or official industry term. In this context, the word "fan" is used to describe the function of the air conditioner that involves blowing or circulating air.
Air conditioners work by cooling the air and then distributing it throughout a room or space. They consist of various components, including a compressor, condenser, evaporator, and a fan. The fan is a crucial part of the air conditioning system, responsible for blowing air over the evaporator coil, which absorbs heat from the indoor air, and the condenser coil, which releases the heat outside.
Since the fan is a visible and audible part of the air conditioning unit, and it plays a significant role in moving the conditioned air, some people, including electricians, might casually refer to the whole unit as a "fan." It's worth noting that this term is not technically accurate, as an air conditioner is a more complex system than just a simple fan. However, in everyday conversations or non-technical settings, this informal language is sometimes used as a shorthand way to refer to an air conditioning unit.