i pulled out the front board covering the return line today. The 1/2 inch board was soaked and swelled to about 1.5" thick...it was also very musty as the prevous owner had a few leaks too.
I cleaned the foam filter(very dirty), but could not clean out the drain hose as I ran out of time. The hose runs about 16" horizontal and likey is when the clog is. It appears the drain pan is overflowing when full. My plan is to pull off the hose, fix and build another board. The boards look like laminated shelving, so I'm off to menards to see if the are alike.
I also notice quite a lot of open space in there for non essential items. I may make the replacement panel with a hinge on it and leave the bottom 2" open for air intake instead of the easy to damage steel vent cover.