Voltmeter loading (see Section 3-4) can be greatly reduced by using an emitter follower.
An emitter follower offers a high 4input resistance to voltages being measured, and provides
a low output resistance to drive current through the coil of a deflection meter. The
basic emitter-follower voltmeter circuit illustrated in Figure 4-1 shows a PMMC instrument
and a multiplier resistance (Rs) connected in series with the transistor emitter. The
dc supply is connected-positive to the transistor collector and the negative to the deflection
meter. The positive terminal of voltage E (to be measured) is supplied to the transistor
base, and its negative is connected to the same terminal as the power supply negative.
The transistor base current in Figure 4-1 is substantially lower than the meter current.