Help with right temperatures for microsoldering

Soldering FPC connectors is tricky because too much heat will melt the plastic. The actual heat setting is not that critical because depending on how close your hot air nozzle is and how much air flow to the connector can make a huge difference.

Fundamentally speaking, you need to get the solder to flow. Depending on which alloy you use, you need to get the pcb/solder connection up to 183-190C. How you get there is what determines if you damage the plastic. You could blast it with 360C if you stay a reasonable distance away or you could go low at 275C and take your time. This is where the "artisanry" comes in...you have to practice a lot to get the right amount of heat to the pcb but not more than you need. As they say practice makes perfect.

Try different settings and see what works best for you. Some people like to tin the pads, others like clean and bare pads. Some like to "tack" the connector in place, others like to let the connector flow. Some like to do this with hot air, others like using micro-tweezers. It also depends on how much room you have on the pcb and how big the connector is. You'll need to develop your style, there is no set way to do this.