B737-800
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
During climb at about 9;000 FT; the hand flying First Officer noticed that the electric trim stopped working. Wondering if the autopilot circuit would work; we found that the autopilot wouldn't auto trim. We got a block altitude nominally at 13;000 FT while we looked for an operator error. None could be found.The QRH directed a divert; so we notified ATC; ARFF (Air Rescue and Fire Fighting); and dispatch. I accomplished the QRH trim inoperative and appropriate normal checklists. Manual trim worked normally. I gave the number 1 Flight Attendant an [emergency] brief and notified the passengers about the problem and that safety vehicles would look us over.The First Officer did a normal flaps 15 landing and we stopped clear of the runway for inspection and escort by ARFF. I asked the passengers to remain seated. We taxied to the gate with no other abnormalities. Upon gate arrival; maintenance met us and started trouble shooting. Initially; the electric trim wouldn't work. I don't know what was then changed; it didn't appear to be anything we did wrong; but the trim started working again.
Boeing 737 Captain reported that they were unable to electrically trim the Horizontal Stabilizer using the 'pickle' switches or the Autopilot.