Stepping Down Voltage on a Trailer

I am working on a project where I need 3.6V or less to power an IC chip. The chip will be located near the axle on a trailer. I want to use the 12V power supply provided by the trailer wiring that is used generally for accessories. Can I use a simple DC-DC converter to step down this voltage to 3.6V or less? I don't want to spend a lot of money as it is a prototype project. Is there another, better or more efficient way to step it down?

Thanks for your help!

Hi,

If the current isnt too high you might get away with a linear regulator.

For best efficiency you would use a buck converter (step down switcher).

For current < 100mA or so a linear regulator would be fine. For current < ~10mA you could use a 3.3V zener and a dropper resistor.