diff --git a/static/js/components/instrumentconfig.vue b/static/js/components/instrumentconfig.vue
index 6bd49306..628e6668 100644
--- a/static/js/components/instrumentconfig.vue
+++ b/static/js/components/instrumentconfig.vue
@@ -66,9 +66,15 @@
               v-if="suggestedLampFlatSlitExposureTime" 
             >
               Suggested exposure time for a Lamp Flat with 
-              slit {{ instrumentconfig.optical_elements.slit }} 
+              slit {{ instrumentconfig.optical_elements.slit }} and readout mode {{ instrumentconfig.mode }}
               is <strong>{{ suggestedLampFlatSlitExposureTime }} seconds</strong>
-            </div>              
+            </div>     
+            <div 
+              slot="extra-help-text"
+              v-else-if="suggestedArcExposureTime" 
+            >
+              Suggested exposure time for an Arc is <strong>{{ suggestedArcExposureTime }} seconds</strong>
+            </div>        
             </customfield>
             <customselect
               v-if="readoutModeOptions.length > 1"
@@ -137,7 +143,7 @@
 <script>
 import _ from 'lodash';
 
-import { collapseMixin, slitWidthToExposureTime } from '../utils.js';
+import { collapseMixin, lampFlatDefaultExposureTime, arcDefaultExposureTime } from '../utils.js';
 import customfield from './util/customfield.vue';
 import customselect from './util/customselect.vue';
 import panel from './util/panel.vue';
@@ -273,8 +279,16 @@ export default {
       // Update on optical element updates
       this.opticalElementUpdates;
       let slitWidth = this.instrumentconfig.optical_elements.slit;
-      if (this.configurationType === 'LAMP_FLAT' && slitWidth) {
-        return slitWidthToExposureTime(slitWidth);
+      let readoutMode = this.instrumentconfig.mode;
+      if (this.configurationType === 'LAMP_FLAT' && slitWidth && readoutMode && this.selectedinstrument) {
+        return lampFlatDefaultExposureTime(slitWidth, this.selectedinstrument, readoutMode);
+      } else {
+        return undefined;
+      }
+    },
+    suggestedArcExposureTime: function() {
+      if (this.configurationType === 'ARC' && this.selectedinstrument) {
+        return arcDefaultExposureTime(this.selectedinstrument);
       } else {
         return undefined;
       }
diff --git a/static/js/components/request.vue b/static/js/components/request.vue
index 725ab4a3..45a282b0 100644
--- a/static/js/components/request.vue
+++ b/static/js/components/request.vue
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@
 <script>
   import _ from 'lodash';
 
-  import { collapseMixin, slitWidthToExposureTime } from '../utils.js';
+  import { collapseMixin, arcDefaultExposureTime, lampFlatDefaultExposureTime } from '../utils.js';
   import configuration from './configuration.vue';
   import window from './window.vue';
   import panel from './util/panel.vue';
@@ -251,21 +251,25 @@
         for (let c in calibs) {
           calibs[c] = _.cloneDeep(request.configurations[configuration_id]);
           for (let ic in calibs[c].instrument_configs) {
-            calibs[c].instrument_configs[ic].exposure_time = 60;
+            calibs[c].instrument_configs[ic].exposure_time = arcDefaultExposureTime(this.instrument_type);
           }
         }
         calibs[0].type = 'LAMP_FLAT'; calibs[1].type = 'ARC';
         calibs[0].guiding_config.optional = true; calibs[1].guiding_config.optional = true;
         calibs[0].guiding_config.mode = 'ON'; calibs[1].guiding_config.mode = 'ON';
         for (let ic in calibs[0].instrument_configs) {
-          calibs[0].instrument_configs[ic].exposure_time = slitWidthToExposureTime(calibs[0].instrument_configs[ic].optical_elements.slit);
+          calibs[0].instrument_configs[ic].exposure_time = lampFlatDefaultExposureTime(
+            calibs[0].instrument_configs[ic].optical_elements.slit, this.instrument_type, calibs[0].instrument_configs[ic].mode
+          );
         }
         request.configurations.unshift(calibs[0], calibs[1]);
         calibs[2].type = 'ARC'; calibs[3].type = 'LAMP_FLAT';
         calibs[2].guiding_config.optional = true; calibs[3].guiding_config.optional = true;
         calibs[2].guiding_config.mode = 'ON'; calibs[3].guiding_config.mode = 'ON';
         for (let ic in calibs[3].instrument_configs) {
-          calibs[3].instrument_configs[ic].exposure_time = slitWidthToExposureTime(calibs[3].instrument_configs[ic].optical_elements.slit);
+          calibs[3].instrument_configs[ic].exposure_time = lampFlatDefaultExposureTime(
+            calibs[3].instrument_configs[ic].optical_elements.slit, this.instrument_type, calibs[3].instrument_configs[ic].mode
+          );
         }
         request.configurations.push(calibs[2], calibs[3]);
         this.update();
diff --git a/static/js/utils.js b/static/js/utils.js
index 813c5864..638703c8 100644
--- a/static/js/utils.js
+++ b/static/js/utils.js
@@ -2,23 +2,46 @@ import moment from 'moment';
 import _ from 'lodash';
 import $ from 'jquery';
 
-function slitWidthToExposureTime(slitWidth){
+
+function isSoarInstrument(instrumentType) {
+  return _.toLower(instrumentType).includes('soar');
+}
+
+function lampFlatDefaultExposureTime(slitWidth, instrumentType, readoutMode) {
   // Lamp flats are affected by the slit width, so exposure time needs to scale with it
-  if(slitWidth.includes('1.2')){
-    return 70;
-  }
-  else if(slitWidth.includes('1.6')){
-    return 50;
-  }
-  else if(slitWidth.includes('2.0')){
-    return 40;
-  }
-  else if(slitWidth.includes('6.0')){
-    return 15;
+  readoutMode = _.toLower(readoutMode);
+  slitWidth = _.toLower(slitWidth);
+  if (isSoarInstrument(instrumentType)) {
+    if (readoutMode.includes('400m1')) {
+      return 3;
+    } else if (readoutMode.includes('400m2')) {
+      return 2;
+    }
+  } else {
+    if (slitWidth.includes('1.2')) {
+      return 70;
+    }
+    else if (slitWidth.includes('1.6')) {
+      return 50;
+    }
+    else if (slitWidth.includes('2.0')) {
+      return 40;
+    }
+    else if (slitWidth.includes('6.0')) {
+      return 15;
+    }
   }
   return 60;
 }
 
+function arcDefaultExposureTime(instrumentType) {
+  if (isSoarInstrument(instrumentType)) {
+    return 0.5;
+  } else {
+    return 60;
+  }
+}
+
 function semesterStart(datetime){
   if(datetime.month() < 3 ){
     return datetime.subtract(1, 'years').month(9).date(1);
@@ -320,7 +343,7 @@ let colorPalette = [  // useful assigning colors to datasets.
 
 export {
   semesterStart, semesterEnd, sexagesimalRaToDecimal, sexagesimalDecToDecimal, QueryString, formatJson, formatValue,
-  formatDate, formatField, datetimeFormat, collapseMixin, siteToColor, siteCodeToName, slitWidthToExposureTime,
-  observatoryCodeToNumber, telescopeCodeToName, colorPalette, julianToModifiedJulian, getFieldDescription,
-  decimalRaToSexigesimal, decimalDecToSexigesimal, tooltipConfig, addCsrfProtection
+  formatDate, formatField, datetimeFormat, collapseMixin, siteToColor, siteCodeToName, arcDefaultExposureTime, 
+  lampFlatDefaultExposureTime, observatoryCodeToNumber, telescopeCodeToName, colorPalette, julianToModifiedJulian, 
+  getFieldDescription, decimalRaToSexigesimal, decimalDecToSexigesimal, tooltipConfig, addCsrfProtection
 };