A method for detecting anomalies in electrical charging parameters during charging of a battery, wherein said battery is charged according to a charging cycle comprising a constant/controlled current mode of operation, in which said battery is charged with a constant/controlled charging current, followed by a constant voltage mode of operation, in which said battery is charged with a constant charging voltage, and wherein said battery is charged according to a known charging characteristic, said charging characteristic corresponding to a condition free of anomalies and defining normal charging voltage and normal charging current curves, the method comprising the steps of: (a) monitoring the charging voltage and the charging current supplied by a battery charger to a battery being charged during a constant/controlled current mode of operation and a constant voltage mode of operation; (b) providing a signal representative of an anomaly when at least one of said charging voltage and said charging current deviate from said normal charging voltage and normal charging current curves, said anomaly representing a possible thermal runaway condition; characterized in that: said battery is charged with a charging current having a variable duty cycle according to a known charging characteristic, said charging characteristic corresponding to a condition free of anomalies and defining a curve of a normal rate of change of the duty cycle of the charging current; and step (a) further includes monitoring the duty cycle of the charging current and tracking the rate of change in the duty cycle throughout the charging cycle; step (b) further includes providing a signal representative of an anomaly when the change in said duty cycle of said charging current deviates, during the constant/controlled current mode of operation, from said curve of a normal rate of change of the duty cycle of the charging current; and by the step of: (c) automatically forcing the battery charger into a predetermined state as a function of the detected anomaly in response to said signal and continuing charging under predetermined conditions. (a) monitoring the charging voltage and the charging current supplied by a battery charger to a battery being charged during a constant/controlled current mode of operation and a constant voltage mode of operation; (b) providing a signal representative of an anomaly when at least one of said charging voltage and said charging current deviate from said normal charging voltage and normal charging current curves, said anomaly representing a possible thermal runaway condition; said battery is charged with a charging current having a variable duty cycle according to a known charging characteristic, said charging characteristic corresponding to a condition free of anomalies and defining a curve of a normal rate of change of the duty cycle of the charging current; and step (a) further includes monitoring the duty cycle of the charging current and tracking the rate of change in the duty cycle throughout the charging cycle; step (b) further includes providing a signal representative of an anomaly when the change in said duty cycle of said charging current deviates, during the constant/controlled current mode of operation, from said curve of a normal rate of change of the duty cycle of the charging current; (c) automatically forcing the battery charger into a predetermined state as a function of the detected anomaly in response to said signal and continuing charging under predetermined conditions.