1. A fault-detection apparatus for a charging system that charges a collection of interconnected battery cells, the apparatus comprising: a) a data-acquisition system for receiving a set of data parameters from the collection while the charging system is actively charging the collection; b) a monitoring system evaluating said set of data parameters to identify a set of anomalous conditions; and c) a controller comparing said set of anomalous conditions against a set of predetermined profiles indicative of an internal short in one or more cells of the collection, said controller establishing an internal-short state for the collection when said comparing has a predetermined relationship to said set of predetermined profiles.