Danny, I'm not a mechanic either, but I do know a little about the condenser. It serves the same function as an outside condensing unit for your central air unit at home. There is a refrigerant that runs through the system and it's job is to absorb the heat inside the vehicle or your house whichever. The heat that is absorbed by the refrigerant is then dissipated to the outside air with the help of a fan blowing across the coil. So therefore the refrigerant is then cooled and then able to once again flow through the evaporator which is inside the vehicle and once again absorb more heat. It's just a continual cycle.
As for the problem that you're having it sounds as though Russ has it figured out. I hope this helps!
Louis