PVC for protection is fine. If the devices are in boxes with 1/2" holes, just use 1/2" pvc and 1/2" male adapters (connectors) and lock nuts in place of the NM connectors.

"PIPE" if you mean plumbing pipe is NOT fine. You need to use listed conduit. Sched 40 by the way is not sufficient for "protection from physical damage."

The question is WHY? Is there some reason you think you need to replace this with conduit?

In addition to the appropriate fitting on the box you need something (bushing or a box or wahtever) on the opposite end of the conduit.

Thanks for your responses. To answer the question of why - the appearance bothers my wife. She saw on the internet that to be up to code the wires should be enclosed. The basement is unfinished, but we have a bedroom down there and it is used for crafts, playroom, etc. We may be selling our house soon and are trying to anticipate improvements we may be forced to make.

Thanks for your responses. To answer the question of why - the appearance bothers my wife. She saw on the internet that to be up to code the wires should be enclosed. The basement is unfinished, but we have a bedroom down there and it is used for crafts, playroom, etc. We may be selling our house soon and are trying to anticipate improvements we may be forced to make.

Is there only one cable going to the box? Then it might be workable. If not you're going to have issues running two lengths of cable in the same conduit. It would be arguably better to mount another box at the top of the wall and make your connections there and run one set of THHN conductors in the conduit down to the box with the receptacle or switch.

That sounds like a lot of work. I just wonder how much of an issue this will be when we decide to move. Thanks for the info.

That sounds like a lot of work. I just wonder how much of an issue this will be when we decide to move. Thanks for the info.

Yeah, sometimes electrical work is a lot of work. Until it is time to collect the check, then the customer thinks what we did wasn't that big of a deal all of a sudden.

Frankly, I think it's misguided to do anything now. There's nothing wrong with the wiring as it is. It's a stretch to imagine what might or might not be an issue when a buyer decides that the codes aren't good enough (mostly advised by the blithering idiots that pass for home inspectors).