My Everstar mpm-08cr has no water in the compartment that needs to be dumped every few hours. Water leaks out the opposite corner. Is this a blockage issue? I can't find a good link to a manual. TIA

Have you tried to load from this site.
http://homeappliance.manualsonline.com/support/everstar/air-conditioner/i-lost-the-manual-2346352#comments

check sensor

The P1 code means the lower water bowl is full.
Put a pan under it an pull the lower plug (some 10" below the upper drain plug that I hope you have a hose attached to.

No. It pulls water out of the air (dehumidifier) and will fill the bucket pretty quickly on a hot humid day.

"The black plate with floater in the bucket" is what signals that the bucket is full of water. So if it isn't in the right place then you will get "P1" (Problem 1 which means bucket is full). The "black plate" needs to flop down inside the bucket for it to register as empty. When the bucket fills the floater makes the plate go to the top and it shuts off the unit.

Set it so it doesn't have to work as hard (i.e. higher temp) and it will generate less water.

http://homeappliance.manualsonline.com/mdownloads/de993dd8-6ee1-4d80-9bf0-30a20d6a0e2d.pdf

PDF File

probably, the p1 signals that the water pan is either full or not sitting properly. There is a small lever that it pushes when the tray is pushed in. It is a switch that might have pushed out of its housing. Mine had and I had to dissasemble the unit to get the switch back in place, then it worked fine. Good luck. Dean