I've been searching the archives and am trying to verify what needs to be done to track down my ac problem. The ac does not work at all but did up until a week ago.

The obvious thing I did first was to check the freon level. I have a simple gauge that measures the freon charge. It has green for low (0-25), blue for filled (25-45), yellow for alert (45-65) and red (65 plus) for warning. I have only had to put freon in once when the ac was not as cold as it once was. It was in the green at that time so I filled it up to 35 pounds. Perfectly cold. So when the ac stopped working I measured the freon charge amount with the ac button turned on and the temp set at 64. The gauge showed it in yellow (50). I am very confused. I know it's a cheap gauge. Any theories? Is it logical to conclude that there is enough freon in the system (perhaps overcharged) and start looking for something electrical?

Also, the ac clutch is not engaging.

What would be the next logical steps?

Any help would be most welcome. Thank you.