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If the fan runs but the compressor doesn't, one problem could be a bad capacitor on the compressor. You will usually hear the compressor hum when it is trying to start.
We had a recent problem with our AC during triple digit temperatures that I originally thought was a bad capacitor, but it turned out to be caused by debris buildup on the condenser coils. The debris looked like the fuzz from cottonwood trees. After we shut the unit down for a while, the compressor restarted and ran a few minutes and shut down again. The guy at repair shop said the compressor has to work so hard in hot weather with the clogged coils that it overheats and the thermal protector shuts it down. Sometimes it will blow a breaker because it is working too hard.
The condenser is the coil at the rear of the AC unit, and the side that gets clogged is the side you can't easily see. To check the condenser, you have to remove the AC shroud, then look into the coil past the fan. You may find a flashlight and mirror helpful. If the coil looks clogged, bend up the tabs and remove a couple of screws to take the metal cover off the top of the condenser. Flush the coils clean with a gentle spray from a hose. Make sure none of the debris you wash away clogs the drain holes in the pan.
Let us know what you find out.
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