I use a small car battery for the trolling motor, 34 thrust.  Generally I don't drain it dead, it's usually on the lower end of the good area on my battery tester.  I always throw it on a trickle charger before taking it out the next time.  My buddy says I might be short cycling the battery and should run it dead every time.  Does this apply to cranking batteries or just marine batteries?  Thanks 

You should charge it up when you get done.  Don’t let it set in a partially drained state.  You really ought to have something other than a trickle charger.

 

Your buddy is wrong.  Never completely drain it.  Memory is what you get with short uses of a nickel cadmium battery not a flooded cell battery.

10 minutes ago, Jig Man said:

Memory is what you get with short uses of a nickel cadmium battery not a flooded cell battery.

Jig Man is correct. That's why Ni-Cad and Ni-MH batteries have fallen by the wayside as they both have charge memory. Flooded, Gel-Cell and Lithium batteries do not have charge memory. I charge mine every time the night before going out, no matter how 'down' it is.

On 8/3/2019 at 10:09 AM, Jig Man said:

Your buddy is wrong.  Never completely drain it.

Just to reinforce this...

 

Your buddy is wrong.