Would there be something about the water fountain, aside for the plug, which would help me identify if it’s a mechanical one? Sam2 said about the “perfect stream”-but is that true?
The electric ones usually provide a consistant supply of water regardless of how hard you push the button.
Why make them electric? I don’t know.
The main reason to make electric valves is so the designers can put the buttons wherever they want without mechanical constraints. It also gives them the ability to get creative with sensors other than push buttons.