Why is water leaking out of these weird vents on my portable AC?

Those holes are actualy meant to be a storage dock for your power plug when you're moving the unit or storing it for the season. Manufacturers use the same plastic mold for different global markets, wich is why you see several different slots or circular openings in that little recessed area. They’re designed to fit various plug types like the standard US three-prong or the rounder European versions so the cord doesn't drag on the floor and become a tripping hazard. The reason water poured out of them is that you let the internal reservoir get completley topped off. In most portable units, that plug dock is just a molded part of the outer casing and isn't actually sealed against the internal water tray. When the tank hits that "full" limit, the water level is sitting right at the brim. As soon as you tilted the machine back to move it, the water sloshed over the edge of the internal pan and leaked out trough the nearest openings in the chassis, which happened to be those plug-holder holes.

You haven't necessarily broken anything, but you definitly want to be careful. Since those holes are right next to where the power cord enters the unit, getting water in there is a legitimate safety risk. I’d recomend unplugging it immediately and letting that area dry out for at least 24 hours before you try to run it again. You don't want any moisture lingering near the internal terminal block or the control board wiring. To avoid this next time, try to drain the unit as soon as the light comes on without tilting it first. If you have to move it to reach a floor drain, keep it as level as possible or use a shallow baking sheet to catch the initial overflow. Those **plug docks** are convienent for cable management, but they aren't waterproof, so keeping the unit upright is the only way to keep the mess contained.

I'm not so sure it's just a plug dock. Have you ruled out a hairline crack in the actual condensate pan? It’s pretty common for those plastic trays to get brittle over a few seasons, and tilting it might have just exposed a leak that was allready there. If it was just sloshing, it shouldn't have been that much volume. I'd pull the back panel off and check for any white mineral scaling around the seams before you trust that it's just a design quirk.

Honestly, this is exactly why I gave up on those basic units that fill up constantly. Dealing with sloshing water right next to the electrical components is a huge headache. If you want to avoid that 'full' light mess entirely, you should check out the Whynter ARC-14S. It’s a dual-hose setup with a solid auto-drain system that evaporates most of the condensate trough the exhaust. I’ve run mine in 80% humidity and almost never have to drain it manually. It’s way more reliable than worrying about whether your internal tray is cracking or leaking through the plug storage.

Quick update — turns out the first reply was spot on about the plug dock. I checked closely and there’s no crack in the pan; I just let it get way too full before moving it. Since those holes are part of the outer mold for the power cord storage, the water just overflowed into the casing. I'll defintely drain it sooner next time!